The Disgaea Guild
by Argon1337
Summary: A backwards Gunner Class attempts to achieve his life's goal by creating the ultimate guild of the most powerful classes in the Netherworld. Will his goal be achieved, will his guild become legend? Or is his plan doomed from the start?
1. Chapter 1

_Chapter 1: This Place is a Dump_

_All character names were chosen by the random option in Disgaea 3, and 4 for no reason at all. Enjoy_

At the edge of a forest near a small town of the Lower world of the Netherworld

A lone Gunner Class hammered down a sign next to a wooden door in a one story building made almost entirely of old, soon to collapse pieces of wood. The sign which read 'Disgaea Guild: OPEN' was the only thing that wasn't over fifty years old, and falling apart, but he got the building at a price which still left him some HL in his pocket so he can't complain.

"Guess it's that time to pick'er up..." the Gunner muttered

Taking a step back to see his new workplace/home, he turned around walking the dirt road that will lead him to his new hometown towards the local Dimensional Gate.

"One of these days I'm gonna have me my own gate like them rich overlords, and demons." the Gunner said to himself.

As he casually walked the dirt trail, the trees providing some shade making the trip cool, and relaxing he couldn't help, but bring up old memories that brought him to this point in life.

(Flashback) at a desert in a town known as 'Who Knows Where'

"You're training is over, get the hell out." An Outlaw class suddenly said

"W-wait what?" the young gunner suddenly asked

"Listen Walker, I've taught everything you need to know to shoot a gun. I've even dressed you up to look as such, I'm done with ye, now git, and follow yer own destiny!" The Outlaw practically ordered

Walker checked his stats, sure enough his titled said Gunner, he had his own Evility, he learned one gun type special, but there was still something off.

"I'm just a level 5! Aren't ya gonna train me to be as strong as you?" Walker asked

"Not my job, all I wanted you to be was a gunner, when I first met ya, you had no title, no skills, no purpose. Ya could have been anything, but you came to me to learn how to shoot like a pro, I did that, the rest is on your own. I can't teach experience." The Outlaw concluded

Before Walker can say anything else his Outlaw teacher interrupted him.

"I'm gonna need your gun before you leave." the Outlaw said

"Huh?" Was Walker's only response

"You see it's mine, you need ta buy yer own, don't get jumped now ya hear." The outlaw said

With that he spoke no more, and literally kicked Walker out of his house, the gun he was carrying somehow unequipped itself, and fell to the floor as Walker crashed through the door. After retrieving the gun off the floor he lazily slumped on a nearby wooden chair, placed his hat over his face, and took a nap. A loud, and obnoxious fly was buzzing around him as he did so, and without taking off his hat he shot the fly out of existence, and resumed his nap.

End of Flashback

Once he snapped out his memories he found himself in the middle of the main, and only road of his new town, a wrecked sign in the corner titled this place 'Anewbie'. To Walker it sounded like something a human might compare to an Egyptian language, and for some reason every time he saw it to he could not help, but feel like a amateur in every way possible. Remembering what he was suppose to be doing he shrugged the feeling off, and continued his quick journey to the local Dimensional Gate. As he did so he saw many demons walking around doing their own business. Several different buildings sandwiched the main road which changed from dirt to pavement with several cracks. He saw demons shopping, talking, bribing, and stealing, the usual stuff, but he did see some unusual things as well. From the corner of his eye he saw what appeared to be a Healer class holding up a cardboard sign which read 'Will Heal for HL', she appeared to be a beggar offering some service, but the way no one was even glancing at her, Walker included it was obvious no one was interested.

"(Asking for sympathy in the Netherworld? What a moron.)" Walker thought to himself

Before their eyes could meet, Walker looked away ignoring, and passing by the poor beggar, then suddenly seeing something jumping over the roofs of the right hand side buildings. A Thief Class carrying a brown bag of who knows what was sprinting with a small grin on her face, whatever she stole she got away with it as there was no one chasing after her...yet.

"(A thief? What an easy class, and he's so feminine looking too.)" Walker scoffed in his thoughts.

He made a note as to where the weapons shop, item shop, armor shop, and local clinic were located as he continued walking, reminding himself to buy himself, and his sister each a gun after he picks her up. He soon saw the building he was after, located almost at the edge of town the building resembled a small airport in the human world except there were no hangars, no planes, no landing tracks, and only a single gate...alright so it's not like a airport at all, but from the things Walker has heard through word of mouth a airport was the closest thing it compared to. He went inside, the building was somewhat busy, small groups of demons waiting for whoever was coming out of the portal next to come out. He looked up seeing the digital sign which told the different locations the demons would be exiting out from, but before he could finish reading what the ticker said, it already began to change to 'Maritsu Evil Academy'.

"(That's the place, made it just in time.)" Walker thought to himself

As he finished his thought a cluster of demons began pouring out of the gate, any demon having to use this mode of transport were obviously too poor to afford their own. He saw demons ranging from Fighters, a Fury Fatalist, and even a Genin which immediately dashed out of the pack, jumped in the air, then disappeared in a cloud of smoke. There were even some monsters such as Green Slime, several Petite Orcs, and a single Prinny which was quickly given the Anewbie welcome for Prinnies by being tossed out the nearest window by a Wood Golem, and blowing up shortly after. As the last demon came out Walker was confused to see that his sister Gunslinger was nowhere to be seen. He was about to leave irritated by this when he felt something tugging his poncho from behind. He quickly turned around, looked down, and saw a Red Mage beaming happily up at him.

"Let go kid." Walker rudely said, pulling his poncho out of the Red Mage's grip

The little mage followed him as Walker left the building.

"Leave me alone, I have no business with the likes of you." Walker said

"But I have business with the likes of you!" The Red Mage squeaked

"Look, I'm not gonna help you just because you're lost, stay out of my sight, before I shoot you where you stand." Walker warned as he walked away

"...But you don't have a gun, silly Walker." The Red Mage cheered

Walker abruptly stopped, did an about face, and stared at the girl with sudden curiosity.

"How do you know I don't have a gun, and better yet, how do you know my name?" Walker quickly asked

"I can just tell you don't, and I've known you since we were little!" The Red Mage declared

"Impossible no one, and I mean no one knew me for that long except my sister-" Walker began

"Eliza?" The Red Mage finished

"H-how do you-...wait a sec..." Walker murmured

"Are you putting two, and two together stupid brother?" The Red Mage squeaked

"Eliza! W-what, it can't be! What happened?" Walker cried out, feeling very flabbergasted

"Well they call me Berry Melon nowadays, and isn't obvious? I reincarnated!" Berry Melon happily declared

"...There are so many questions...so many..." Walker blankly said

"Hm~ maybe we should sit down, and talk it over some dessert. I could go for some cake, or maybe ice-cream, or, or ice-cream cake! Oh~ so hungry~" Berry Melon rapidly said

Walker seeing no other option simply nodded, and went towards the nearest snack shop, after ordering their white, and pink desserts from a very buff, and manly looking Heavy Knight running the small cake shop they found an empty table where Berry Melon began her tales.

"Basically what happened was, while I was at school I saw all these cool, or should I say hot looking mages all playing with fire by burning their homework along with other demons personal stuff, and I wanted to do that. So I guess without thinking I sort of reincarnated...I mean I had enough mana at the time." Berry Melon explained

"When did you reincarnate?" Walker asked

"...Almost as soon as I entered Evil Academy." Berry Melon joyfully declared

"You mean as soon as I sent ya, you went ahead, and transformed yourself?" Walker said

"Pretty much." Berry Melon said soon after she began chewing on a piece of strawberry vanilla ice-cream cake.

"I seem to recall you hating anything too sweet." Walker reminded

"It comes with becoming a Red Mage, in fact that's all we mages ever eat. It adds to our cuteness factor." Berry Melon explained

"Well I suppose having a mage could be useful, what spells have you learn? Can you do that huge firework type specials like them upper folk mages?" Walker asked

"Well~ I can cast fire." Berry Melon answered

"Yeah, and?" Walker asked

"...That's about it." Berry Melon simply answered as she took another fork of cake into her mouth, chewing with her eyes closed, and with a smile to give off that cuteness factor she previously mentioned.

"But you've been in that school for years! What the heck did you do for all that time?" Walker loudly asked

"Om nom nom nom *gulp*, phew~...Let's see, well I ran through the hallways, tossed a prinny, broke several windows, tossed a prinny, pranked my teachers, tossed a prinny, ate cookies, tossed a prinny, played dress up, tossed a prinny, bought new leggings, tossed a prinny, fell in love with Ms. Machiko suddenly, tossed a prinny, caught a glimpse of their overlord, tossed a prinny, and I tossed a prinny." Berry Melon listed

"Did you learn anything, anything at all?" Walker practically begged

"Learning is against the rules there, but I did learn the proper way to toss a prinny to achieve maximum distance, and my aim's pretty sharp if I do say so myself." Berry Melon boasted

"But I paid for your tuition! I expect to see results!" Walker argued

"Tuition? There's no tuition, they don't care who goes in, and out." Berry Melon explained

"B-but she said-" Walker began

He shifted towards his memories to a point in time he was told of said tuition.

Flashback

"So my sister tells me she wants to go to this Evil Academy school, but I don't know squat about it, do you have any clues?" Walker asked his long time friend

"Sure do partner, and I'll be a sweetheart, and tell you right from the start, all ya really need is a little tuition money to start off, and they'll take her in as quick as a fiddle!" The Gunslinger proclaimed very alluringly

"Quit talking all flirty with me! So you're saying if I give them cash they'll take her in right then, and there?" Walker asked

"You betcha!" The Gunslinger said more normally

"Huh, that's seems pretty easy...I like that, alright, I'll just hand her the HL, and let her go on from there." Walker said to himself

"Whoa, whoa there! Um~ here's a thought, why don't you let me handle all that. Don't want to interrupt your training do ya?" The Gunslinger suggested

"Well I guess so...how much is it?" Walker asked

His gunslinger friend smiled broadly.

End of flashback

"That no good varmint, when I see her I'm gonna shoot her on sight!" Walker grumbled under his breath

"Walker? You okay? Do you need a hug?" Berry Melon offered

"No thanks, and for evil's sake can you act your age, you're my big sister after all!" Walker argued

"Well when I'm like this, it's pretty hard to tell, and I don't know about you, but I feel centuries younger!" Berry Melon said

"*Sigh* I see you're done, let's pay the...man, and buy our gear, then I'll show you to our new home, and explain my side of the story." Walker said

"'Kay!" Berry Melon exclaimed

She gave her plate a quick lick, eating some leftover frosting, and left the table. Walker paid for their meal, and the two headed off towards the different shops to buy their weapons, or at least that was the plan anyways, but when they got there...

"Closed! Are you kidding me!" Walker cried out

"Too late huh..." Berry Melon said

"Just you wait sis, one of these days I'll have my own shopkeepers like them rich upper demons, and overlords, you'll see, and I'll force them to stay open 24/7!" Walker assured

"'Kay!' Berry Melon agreed

The armor shop, weapon shop, and item shop were all closed, but the fact that it was dusk made it pretty clear that it was time to close up shop for the day.

"Guess we'll have to try again tomorrow." Berry Melon simply said

Walker moaned in annoyance, and with Berry Melon by his side, the two retreated back towards their home, looking around the streets they saw very little action. Most demons have already left for their own home, their business for the day done, even the lone beggar was nowhere to be seen, and all was mostly quiet.

"Why don't you tell me what you were doing?" Berry Melon suddenly asked

"Sure why not. Where to start though...well basically all I'm trying to do is achieve my dream you could say." Walker answered

"Dream, you? I didn't even know you had dreams, or aspirations. This isn't the place to have such a stupid thought." Berry Melon assured

"Fine let's call it life's goal then! How's about that." Walker quickly argued

"Well what is you 'life's goal' then?" Berry Melon skeptically asked

"I'm gonna make a name of myself by making the most powerful, and respected demon's guild this Netherworld has ever known!" Walker declared

"Pfft-hahahaha~, a-are you crazy, or something brother? Do you even know what a guild is?" Berry Melon asked

"Yeah it's a place where a bunch of people make a club, and you know be cool, and powerful, and stuff." Walker answered

"That's right! A bunch of people! That's the problem! Have you not noticed that you're a Gunner? Don't you know Gunners always go their separate ways. Lone fighters, guns for hire, it's rare enough to see a Gunner partner up with just one! A-and you want to hang out with an entire guild? Bwa-hahaha~!" Berry Melon scoffed

"You don't have to remind me, even I know this is just plain wrong, but I can't help feeling like this is my calling ya know. Kind of like how you suddenly reincarnated into Red Mage." Walker said

"I did it just for the hell of it! You're the weird one." Berry Melon assured

"Well whatever, I see you're at least a level 3. So I guess you were doing some sort of training." Walker said

"Nah~ see this one time after I tossed a prinny I accidentally hit some students, and I guess that counted, or something because I leveled up soon after." Berry Melon explained

"Wait, I don't think it works like that." Walker skeptically said

"I don't question these things I just let them happen." Berry Melon said

"Well then, how about this...why don't you wait until after we start our business to ridicule me." Walker said

Up ahead they saw their new workplace.

"Hey look! Someone forgot to tear down that old building." Berry Melon pointed out

"...That's where we'll be staying." Walker corrected

"Eh! B-but it's so old, and broken down!" Berry Melon complained

"Yeah, you should have seen it before I fixed it up." Walker said

"...That sign has a weird name on it, don't tell me that's what you actually called it?" Berry Melon asked

"Yup, don't know how I came up with it, but somewhere during my fifth, or sixth sarsaparilla it suddenly sprung up, and it's been stuck in my head ever since." Walker explained

Well at least you're still the same bro." Berry Melon half joked

"Can't say the same about you, it's gonna take some getting use to." Walker said

"Besides that, I don't think anyone is gonna hire us if they knew we lived in a dump like that." Berry Melon advised

"It looks better on the inside! Come on I'll show you to your room." Walker said

"I have a room?" Berry Melon asked, suddenly perking up.

"Yeah, there's lots of rooms in there, I think this place was a hotel/restaurant, at some point. The dining hall will also work as our base of operations." Walker explained

"How many rooms?" Berry Melon asked

"Enough, and that's not even counting the storage room at the back, it's empty now, I checked, but with some work we will stuff it with all sorts of treasure." Walker assured

They went inside on the left had side was a curved table most likely used as a station for the hosts to either walk their customers to a table, or to a room. Next to it was a double door which lead to an L-shaped hallway with many doors leading to separate rooms, and each room had their own bathroom. the double doors in front of them lead to the dining room, and kitchen. Most of that room was empty except for a long, rectangle table fitting 5 by 1 seats, five on the sides, and 1 on the top, and bottom. A slide in door lead towards the kitchen, but for now Walker lead Berry Melon to her room in one of the many which were empty. Her room was square, and mostly empty save for a bed, table, and a window, Berry Melon would have to do a lot of work to make herself feel at home. Having two people in her room made it feel crowded, she figured, three, or five would make it feel packed, but she was happy to discover her bathroom came with a small bathtub she could hog to herself.

"All these rooms are the same." Walker explained

"Well it's clean...I guess, I'm surprised you were able to buy this." Berry Melon awkwardly said

"Thanks, I got at a real steal! The owner was too lazy to remodel it, and apparently he didn't want to go anywhere near because he says it's haunted, or something. Kind of the reason why it went out of business, but I've been here practically all day fixing this place up, and I haven't even seen a mouse." Walker said

"If you say so...*Yawn~* I think I'm gonna hit the hay now..." Berry Melon yawned suddenly feeling very sleepy.

"I was gonna do the same, tomorrow we're waking up early, and buy our weapons." Walker said

"G'night!" Berry Melon waved

"Night, Eliza." Walker said

"It's Berry Melon!" Berry Melon corrected, her cheeks puffed in annoyance

"...Right...Berry Melon." Walker awkwardly said as he closed the door behind him.

He then retreated towards his room, and cot, for some undeserved rest, today he didn't accomplish as much as he had hoped for, but tomorrow he'll be expecting some business to turn up.

His natural alarm clock inside his head suddenly woke Walker up, peering through the window he could see rays of light coming from the warm morning sun, he turned his head around to shield his sensitive eyes from the brightness to see an unexpected guest sleeping next to him. Berry Melon was snoozing peacefully in Walker's bed, but knowing his sister this was old news, she's been sneaking towards his bed on several occasions for many years now.

"I thought the whole reincarnation thing would get rid of her sleepwalking..." Walker grumbled

Walker shook his sister, with little success, she wasn't a heavy sleeper, but she was extremely lazy during the morning.

"Wake up, wake up! Come on, you got into my bed again!" Walker exclaimed quite groggily.

As he continued to shake her, Berry Melon finally showed some signs of waking up, her eyes slowly opening, and her arms jutting outwards as she began to stretch them.

"*Y~awn* uh~...bro? What are you doing in my bed...get out..." Berry Melon weakly said

"Wrong! Again! You're in my bed, my room! You've been sleepwalking again." Walker explained as he got out of bed.

"...Oh~o~...huh~...So I have...I guess old habits die hard..." Berry Melon said

"Ya gotta control yourself better sis, I mean it isn't much of a hassle now that you're smaller, but this is still an annoyance Eliza." Walker said

"First off...it's Berry Melon, and second what do you mean by 'now that I'm smaller'? Are you...referring to when I was a...Gunslinger?" Berry Melon groggily said, not really concentrating on what she's saying.

"Well yeah, your proportions are less, and you, you know-wait...I ain't getting into this with you! Go make yourself decent we're getting our weapons." Walker quickly said, changing topics.

"Okay~, but I need a favor." Berry Melon weakly asked

"Shake the sleep out your voice, and face, then we'll talk. Just wash up on the bathroom, and meet me at the dining hall...I gotta splash some water on my face too." Walker said

Not waiting for a reply he closed the door behind him. After he was done cleaning himself, he made his way to the dining hall, taking the nearest seat as he waited for Berry Melon. A couple of minutes have passed, and the double doors open revealing a Berry Melon who still had very messy bed hair, she held a brush that could fix the problem, but for some reason she would explain later, she did not use it.

"You're hair's a mess...well that's no surprise your hair was always a mess." Walker playfully teased

"Yeah, but everyone knows messy hair is cute during early morning hours, then it gets stale by late breakfast, and early afternoon. I want you to help me brush it." Berry Melon practically ordered

"What? I'm no hair stylist, can't you do it yourself?" Walker said

"My tiny arms are too cute, and can't reach all the way." Berry Melon whined as she flailed, and wiggle her arms to express her statement

"*Tch*...fine, fine I'll do it." Walker caved

Berry Melon quickly perked up, and pulled a nearby chair in front of Walker, handed him the brush, then sat down on her seat, her back facing her brother as he began the task of combing the long red hair.

"Don't pull too hard, and give me bald spots...or I'll burn you in your sleep." Berry Melon playfully threatened

"We wouldn't want that." Walker playfully scoffed

"It's a very simple process really...and I can chant the spell so quietly you won't be able to hear it." Berry Melon muttered under her breath

"What was that?" Walker asked

"I was just wondering if maybe, you could...sing me a song while your brushing me?" Berry Melon suddenly asked her face beaming

"Don't push your luck." Walker politely refused

"Oh! Watch the ribbon, if it comes off I'll blow up like a nuke." Berry Melon quickly warned

"Oh, yeah, I read about something like that, it keeps your powers balanced, and under control, or something like that right?" Walker said

"Basically." Berry Melon said

Several minutes have passed, but he was finally done, Berry Melon's hair was as straight as a ruler, and as long as her body was short.

"We'll pick up some food on the way while we're at it, but I'm saving most of our money for our equipment." Walker said as they left the building

"What's that you're carrying with you?" Berry Melon curiously asked, seeing the pale, brownish piece of paper Walker was holding.

"This? I made it myself, it's advertisement for our guild, I'll post this on the local bulletin board, and then people will know where to go to get their troubles fixed." Walker explained

"Hm~ 'Whether face, to face, or mail, or other, you ask for it, we'll do it!' Well it's almost catchy when you read it out loud." Berry Melon said

"Yeah, I got lazy half way through." Walker admitted

"Hey, you know who will be great to really get the most out of our job. That friend of yours back in 'Who Knows Where' she knows how to handle, and make money!" Berry Melon said

"We will not talk about her...ever, for now, she's dead to me." Walker said

"...I'm confused weren't you guys like super close chums?" Berry Melon asked

"Yeah, until I discovered how much of a swindling, cheating, haggling, vermin she was! (Tuition for school my ass!)" Walker exclaimed, then thought

"*Sigh* It's one of those...what do you call them...'love' things isn't it?" Berry Melon teased

"You watch it with that mouth, or I'll smack your behind till it's as red as your hair." Walker warned

"You can't do that, I'm the big sister!" Berry Melon whined

"Just on the inside, no not even, you acted childish all yer life, now you complete the look." Walker said

"I'm not scared, I know you're not like that, you wouldn't hurt me with a feather, family means too much for ya." Berry Melon said

"...There's the shops, let's get this over with." Walker said

The Weapon shop was run by a Fighter, behind him were his rack of very strange, foreign, but powerful array of weapons ranging from swords, to guns. He waved so long to one of his regular customers, but upon seeing Walker, and Berry Melon his waving hand suddenly went limp.

"Hold on laddies...let old Houkuzzo get a look at ya." The shopkeeper said

He paused staring briefly at the his two customers, Walker, and Berry Melon almost felt like they were being sent through an X-Ray.

"Okay! I know what types ye are, let me just pull this wee switch here, and..." Houkuzzo began

He flipped a switch underneath his table, and the rack behind him suddenly rotated several degrees, once it stopped the weapon rack had very different weapons up for sale, if you can even call them such.

"A'iright! Now how can I help you lot? Houkuzzo asked

"You can help by showing us some real firepower! Go back to the rack with the crazy gear!" Walker complained

"*Sigh* Ya must be new here. Listen lad, I'll make this easy for your peanut brain to understand. You...have a zero shopping record here. So you buy what I'm showing, or get lost!" Houkuzzo explained

"You aren't making any sense!" Walker argued

"Your so lucky I'm after your money, or else I would have kicked you out by now. Here's how it works, the more ya buy, the more yer shopping rank goes up. The higher yer rank, the higher quality of weapons you get in return. Got it?" Houkuzzo explained

"...I guess." Walker figured

"Alright good we're getting somewhere, we might git along just fine now. So what'll it be?" Houkuzzo asked

"Well isn't it obvious? I need a gun, and my sis here needs a...whatchamacallit..." Walker began

"Staff." Berry Melon finished

"Yeah, that!" Walker said

"Well fer a customer like you I got just the thing...and here it is!" Houkuzzo said, presenting Walker with a gun

"What the hell is this?" Walker demanded, feeling insulted

"It's a gun, I thought you types knew that." Houkuzzo said

"This isn't a gun! It's a slingshot with a plastic cover that looks like a gun!" Walker corrected

"Buy a few more of those, and I'll show you the real McCoy." Houkuzzo

"Can you at least humor me?" Walker said

"Alright, alright, just give me a sec, I'll get you something...aha! Try this." Houkuzzo said taking back the slingshot, and present Walker with something that's more similar looking to a gun.

"...This is a water pistol." Walker said losing all faith in demon kind

"The newest model from the human world!" Houkuzzo boasted

"...This can't even break the skin, let alone kill my enemies." Walker said blankly

"Not true, you think we demons don't 'tinker' with them guns before we sell em? It ain't the most destructive weapon in all the Netherworld, but trust a shopkeeper, this thing can do more that just get water in yer eyes." Houkuzzo hinted

"It's either this, or..." Walker began

"Or, I have this here gun with a bent barrel." Houkuzzo said presenting a pistol with a small barrel bent almost ninety degrees to the right.

"...I'll take the water pistol." Walker conceded

"Great, and I'll tell ya what, for first time, first serve special, if ya purchase something else right now, I'll throw in this bow free!" Houkuzzo announced, showing off the bow

"It looks like it was made in a kindergarten arts, and crafts." Berry Melon commented, seeing the random glued on glitter it had on it's wood.

"It was!" Houkuzzo mentioned

"The string is made from...thread?" Walker commented

"Soft, wool, thread fiber actually." Houkuzzo corrected

"...I'll take anything that's free. What have you got for my sister?" Walker asked

"Well for the pretty lass I have...this!" Houkuzzo proclaimed presenting Berry Melon with a purple staff with a clear star on top

As Berry Melon held the staff one thing was instantly known.

"It's plastic." Berry Melon deciphered

"100 percent." Houkuzzo assured

"It's a little...dull." Berry Melon awkwardly said

"Not true! Press the wee little button at the center of the stick." Houkuzzo said

Berry Melon did so, the clear star on top flashed with colorful lights inside, and a catchy jingle played for several seconds, then the lights, and tune stopped

"I'll take it!" Berry Melon squeaked

"Now wait a minute! Does that thing even power up her magic?" Walker asked

"Well no, but ye can whack someone with it, and it'll probably sting." Houkuzzo said

"Next!" Walker said

Houkuzzo swiped the staff away from Berry Melon as she pushed the button a second time, the jingle still playing even while it was hanging on the rack.

"Try this one." Houkuzzo presented giving Berry Melon a wooden staff with a oddly shaped hand at the end, the tips of the fingers leaning almost ninety degrees forward.

"What's the story on that one?" Walker asked

"It's a back scratcher used by a powerful witch a long time ago, Some of her magic must have rubbed off on it." Houkuzzo presumed

"Oh~ I can definitely feel something magical...Ah~" Berry Melon said as she tested the staff on her own back.

"...I suppose that's the best you'll offer us." Walker said

"Until you bring yer rank up." Houkuzzo said

"...Thanks for the business." Walker sourly said

"Come again, yur gonna eventually." Houkuzzo reminded

With their new 'weapons' they moved to the shop right next to the weapons shop where they saw a Female Fighter acting as the shop keep. They could see her muttering to herself, and possibly writing things down on something underneath her stand. The armor she was selling ranged from leather plates, fancy magical robes, and a cowboy hat that instantly grabbed Walker's attention. She saw them approach, and quickly stopped whatever she was doing, standing next to her stand, and waited until they got close.

"I see that you two must be new, so let me get a look at you." The shopkeeper said

"Oh, no not this, can you please at least tell me how much that hat co-" Walker began

However before he could finish the shopkeeper flicked a switch, the rack began to spin, and once it stopped they saw some very plain, and very second-hand like armor.

"Your frustration is understandable, but don't cry out, and flip my table." The shopkeeper said

"...There's something about the way you talk...I can't quite put my finger on it." Walker said

"My name is Pamela, and I sell armor, with my gear you can endure far more." Pamela continued

"H-hang on for a minute, give me a second to think." Walker said

"I have time before my shop closes, so I'll just wait by watering my roses." Pamela said

Berry Melon who caught on much faster than her brother decided to secretly test him to see how long it would take him. As her eyes began to wander around her surroundings she came upon a poor beggar she recognized as a Healer, she was on her knees, a cardboard sign in front of her reading 'Will Heal for HL'. She had blotches of dirt on her clothes, and face, but she still had that air of radiance, and beauty that Berry Melon had felt when she saw Ms. Machiko at Maritsu Evil Academy, only it didn't felt as strong compared to hers. As their eyes met, Walker had finally came to a realization

"Why are you rhyming your words?" Walker asked

Berry Melon seeing the conversation may become more interesting now waved at the Healer very briefly, and turned around. Unbeknownst to her, as soon as she did that, the healing beggar had stood up, and continued staring at Berry Melon, and Walker.

"It's fun at times to try, and rhyme, so I try it all the time." Pamela answered

"...What is the color of that fruit over by that food stand?" Walker asked pointing at the oranges on a stand.

Pamela looked briefly at the oranges, and whacked Walker on the head from across her stand.

"Did you come here to buy, or should I make you cry?" Pamela asked

"Alright, alright, what'cha got for us?" Walker asked soothing his injured head by rubbing it

"For you to survive a fatal slash, I present to you this amazing sash!" Pamela presented

She handed Walker a plain white sash with pink letters imprinted on it

"...But I'm not a...'Little Miss Sunshine'" Walker said

"I'll take that!" Berry Melon quickly said swiping the sash away from Walker

"Got anything that won't completely destroy my manhood?" Walker asked

"I see that you are very picky, but I have this suit, though rather itchy." Pamela said presenting Walker with a very rag old suit.

"I saw the price tag on this thing, but don't you think that's a little steep for this? I bet it wasn't that much when it was in perfect condition!" Walker complained

"I am not unfair like that old shoemaker, so try this shirt I made from newspaper." Pamela presented showing Walker a shirt made from old newspapers, just as she had promised

"...I don't like it, the price ain't right, but I'll take the suit to protect me tonight...Crap! Now I'm doing it too, let's leave Berry Melon, now!" Walker said

As Pamela giggled to herself, Berry Melon, and Walker made their way towards the item shop to stock up on necessary healing food, and junk. The poor beggar keeping her distance from them, but continued staring intently at the two.

As they neared the front of the stand they saw no one running it, at first they thought it had closed early, but suddenly a hand shot out from underneath the stand, and slammed against it.

"Have you come to take me out on a leisurely stroll?" a young voice said to them from under the stand

"Whoa there partner we're not here to take you anywhere." Walker said

"And I am not a hand, just a friendly worm with a turtleneck, see? Watch as I crawl." The shopkeeper said as he began moving his hand across the table.

Walker tired of all these antics grabbed the shopkeeper's hand, and yanked, pulling the boy up to meet face to face. It was a star skull by the looks of it, though he had a wide grin, he showed no signs of being happy.

"You! You're like them aren't you! I bet you've come to take my pot of bubble wrap! It's mine, get away from it! Right? Right! Hehehe~" The star skull said

"...I swear not a single normal demon here is there? Did you hit your noggin on something?" Walker asked

"It's pronounced eggnog, and it's fine see, see!" The star skull showed grabbing a glass of eggnog from behind the counter

"Also you are a eggnog!" The star skull later added

"Brother...can I have some cotton candy?" Berry melon asked with her puppy dog eyes.

"Well I suppos-" Walker was about to agree

"Wait! I know what you are! You guys have no rank! You have no purpose with these delicacies, right, yes, of course!" The star skull exclaimed

He flipped the switch behind his counter, laughing maniacally as the snacks, and tasty treats changed to very low budget food, with very little snacks to satisfy.

"For you, I have gum! Lot's of it, as well as some other nick-knacks! You enjoy caterpillar eggs don't you? I'll give them to you in return I would need your HL, I can't take anything else...not even that Little Miss Sunshine sash you have-but I don't want it! Who told you I want it! ?" star skull said

"...So...does that mean you're selling?" Berry Melon asked tilting her head slightly to the right while doing so.

"My name is Lawrence! At least this century it is-hehe~, and yes that means I'm selling! It's okay, you can trust me, good old Claiborne!" Lawrence said

"Didn't you say you're name was Lawrence?" Walker asked

"Who told you?" Lawrence quickly accused

"You did! Now give me some gum, and eggs dammit!" Walker cried out losing his patience

"Okay, okay! I understand! I understand perfectly! Here you go!" Lawrence exclaimed

He practically shoved the food into Walker's hands before he could reach into his pockets to take out the cash. With a little help from Berry Melon they completed their exchanged.

"Come again! Next time I won't be so calm." Lawrence told them as they turned around

"Let's get out of here before he invites for a tea party, or something." Walker whispered to Berry Melon

Ignoring the random accusations from Lawrence as he dealt with another customer, Walker, and Berry Melon began heading into the direction of the town's bulletin board, unaware of their stalking healer still behind them. In a short amount of time they had reached it, sitting near the center of town, at the middle of the road behind a dried fountain with a single statue of a succubus posing seductively as a reminder of that brief moment she had graced their little town, and never returned. Walker placed his ad next to another sign that told of a missing Catsaber, though it appeared fairly old, and torn, it was hard to make out much detail.

"Well that should do it, let's head back to our base, and wait for any customers." Walker said almost sounding excited

"Yeah, because we're gonna be busy all day with job offers." Berry Melon skeptically said

As they turned around they were aware of a silhouette of a person as it quickly hid behind some empty boxes.

"I don't suppose you have anything to do with that?" Walker suddenly asked

"My eyes are too low to the ground because of my cute, petite body, I can't see as well as you so I don't know what you're talking about!" Berry Melon squeaked, all while beaming up at him

"*Sigh* I'll just hope it was nothing..." Walker simply said

They retreated back to their hideout, while Walker was keeping his 'Evil Eye' set on every demon walking past, or following them. Though from what his paranoid eyes have collected it felt as if everyone in town was stalking him, it was next to impossible to discern which one was the actual culprit. However this did not faze either of them because Walker felt safest with a gun, while Berry Melon was just blissfully ignorant. So seeing as how concentrating on so many targets would put too much strain on his eyes, which will only make the inevitable fight more difficult, he decided to relax his eye muscles as Berry Melon was doing by distracting herself with random oddities, and events, primarily focused on seeing a Prinny receive it's 27th 'Welcome to Anewbbie' toss by a passing fighter class.

"I could so throw that Prinny a lot better than that." Berry Melon said to herself

"I was actually thinking of acquiring a Prinny of our own...provided you don't toss it randomly, and cause any structural damage." Walker said

"I can't promise you anything less than broken windows." Was Berry Melon's response

"This is why we can't have nice things." Walker said

As they neared the dirt path leading to home, Walker instinctively went back to scouting mode, watching for any sudden movements, as well as listen for a irregular pattern in their footsteps. Sure enough after listening closely he could identify a third pair of footprints about a yard behind them. He paused for a brief moment, and turned his head back slowly, and upon looking directly behind him he noticed a leafy bush on the right side of the path shake rapidly, then quickly stopped confirming his suspicions of being followed.

"Eliz-" Walker began

"Berry Melon!" Berry Melon corrected

"...Whatever, just keep walking casually..." Walker whispered

"No problem." Berry Melon whispered back

As they continued walking Berry Melon felt it was imperative to begin whistling the catchy tune of her former school's anthem. Walker resisted the urge to facepalm himself as he once again heard the third pair of footprints now steadily closer than before. Not letting sneak the first strike Walker did an about face as quick as a bullet, and aimed his water pistol at the stalker, though he lowered his weapon upon seeing who it was. The frightened stalker was non other than the poor healer beggar, on her knees, holding her chest as she began breathing heavily clearly spooked, and her sign face down on the dirt besides her.

"Hey~ I've seen her. Do you remember me? I waved at you!" Berry Melon excitedly said as she repeated her past action, and waved excitedly at her from behind Walker.

"Aw~ don't tell me you looked her in the eye!" Walker exclaimed with annoyance

"Well that depends on your definition of that..." Berry Melon said seeing the Healer still had her eyes closed.

"You don't look a beggar in the eyes, or else they'll start following you until you give them HL, and I'm not giving a cent to someone who hasn't earned it." Walker assured

Upon hearing this the Healer quickly regained herself, and propped her sign in front of her, still reading 'Will Heal for HL'.

"N-no, no thanks we don't need healing, and we have plenty of food that will take care of any future injuries." Walker assured

The Healer stood still, moving her sign closer to his face.

"Did you hear me the first time! I said you're not needed." Walker said trying to keep his cool

"...Maybe we do." Berry Melon suddenly said

"What? That's crazy talk! Give me one good reason to let her join us!" Walker challenged

Upon hearing this the Healer gently placed her sign to floor, and walked towards Walker. She placed her hands on both of his shoulders, Walker reeled back slightly, but the Healer held her grip on him. Then she swiftly kneed Walker in the groin as hard as she could. The pain was excruciating, Walker shrieked like a girl, and fell in a fetal position holding his family jewels while rolling around, cussing at everything, and everyone he has ever met. Berry Melon covered her ears in a comical, and cute fashion as she saw the Healer doing something else. The Healer's mouth, and cheeks moved ever so slightly, as Walker finally stopped rolling around, and simply stayed in one spot, making it easier to work with him. Then as if adding insult to injury, the Healer spat in his cheeks, the insult caused him to momentarily forget about the stinging sensation, as rage, and anger took control. As he stood up, the spit still on the side of his right cheek he stomped towards the Healer was retracted back, but not quickly enough to escape Walker's grip on her neck, his other hand holding his new gun, and aiming it on her somewhat large forehead.

"W-wait a minute brother! It's not what you think!" Berry Melon quickly said

"I don't care! I'm in pain, there's spit in my face, I'm pissed, and someone's gonna die!" Walker shouted

The Healer was now shaking, and sweating nervously.

As he was about to pull the trigger he noticed a sudden warm sensation coming from the are she spat at him. The saliva on his cheeks glowed, and sparkled weakly before being absorbed by his skin, and at that moment the pain in his man parts quickly disappeared. Feeling suddenly relaxed he loosened his grip on her neck, but held the gun to her head, only this time his finger was not touching the trigger.

"I-I think she was demonstrating her healing capabilities to you. I heard Healers can spit at someone, and it can heal, but they can also perform strong healing spells when fighting...I am so smart!" Berry Melon explained

"So why didn't she just use a healing spell then! ?" Walker asked

"...I guess because we weren't exactly in combat mode...or something?" Berry Melon figured

He turned back towards the Healer who nodded her head profusely as if to say Berry Melon was right. At this point he set her free, and lowered his weapon. The Healer was very relieved, and even smiled as she walked towards her sign, picked it up, and once again placed it in front of her.

"...*Sigh* I guess I owe you an apology, but considering the fact that you gave me a cheap shot, I'll just say we're even." Walker said

The Healer nodded in agreement.

"You don't talk a lot do you?" Berry Melon asked

The Healer shook her head, but also nodded shortly after.

"What does that mean?" Berry Melon asked

The Healer did nothing, instead wiggled her sign as if to say 'get back on topic'.

"Alright, so you're looking for a job then?" Walker asked

She nodded her head

"Can you tell me something about yourself? How long you've been healing, how much can you heal, are you mentally stable?" Walker began asking

The Healer shook, and nodded her head.

"This isn't working, if you really wanted a job you ought to speak up, or maybe you can't is that it?" Walker asked

She nodded

"I still don't know..." Walker said

"Aw come on Walker, don't be that way, besides, what's more important? Someone who can heal, or someone who can talk a lot?" Berry Melon said

He turned towards the Healer who had now clasped her hands together in a praying position, her lower lip quivering, in a vain attempt to give Walker a puppy eye stare despite her eyes still closed.

"Well I won't judge you for that then...Aw~ what the hell, alright fine you can stay with us, but the minute you become useless I'm firing you...and I mean that literally." Walker gave in

The Healer smiled broadly, hopping up, and down with excitement, but still holding her sign.

"Yay new party member! New party member!" Berry Melon declared hopping up, and down with her.

"So what's your name woman?" Walker asked

The Healer stopped hopping, and said nothing, Berry Melon kept hopping now in her own little world.

"...Oh yeah, well you might as well know the name of your employer, and ally. My name's Walker, a gunner class!" Walker introduced himself

"And my name is Elfie, it's such a pleasure to finally speak to you." The Healer suddenly announced, her voice was soft, weak, but very feminine.

"Y-you can talk!" Berry Melon cried out

Elfie turned towards her, and nodded, Berry Melon was quite confused

"It's okay you can talk to me! I want us to be friends!" berry Melon assured

Elfie simply stared at her, wanting to say something, but for some reason couldn't.

"I prefer the term allies." Walker said

"Hey~ why won't you speak to me, but my brother? Do you have a crush on him already?" Berry Melon asked

Elfie's cheeks became rosy as she quickly shook her head.

"I'd like to know that as well, if we're gonna be working together." Walker said

"Oh! Well it's very simple really, I don't talk to strangers so when you introduced yourself to me you weren't a stranger to me anymore. I follow that rule very strictly." Elfie weakly explained

"Aw~ I thought it was romance...Oh! Okay then! My name is Berry Melon! It's nice to meet you!" Berry Melon exclaimed moving her face close to Elfie's.

"Ah! M-my name is Elfie, and it's a pleasure to meet your acquaintance as well." Elfie finally said

"Awesome! She talked to me! Alright!" Berry Melon celebrated

"So give me your stats, real quick." Walker began

"I have my evility, I'm a healer, and I'm...a level 1..." Elfie said feeling disappointed in herself

"Great, well not really. Moving on, anything else you're strict with by any chance?" Walker asked

"There is one other thing, you see I'm very honest, and I know it's looked down upon in most places, but in a way honesty can be even worst than flat out lies." Elfie explained

"Well I don't know about that, but I'll decide that for myself, come on I'll show you to your new home, which will also be your workplace should the need arise." Walker said

"Home~ I'm finally home...p-please do lead virgin." Elfie said

Walker abruptly stopped his trigger finger suddenly acting up as Elfie stifled her mouth from saying anymore, Berry Melon doing the same, but only to contain her laughter.

"...I'm just gonna ignore that last comment, keep your 'honesty' to yourself would you?" Walker grumbled as his itchy trigger finger soon began to fade away.

"Y-yes, sorry I won't be so honest about your lack of a love life from now on." Elfie said

Once again the feeling returned only much weaker, and once again Berry Melon had to stifle herself to keep from laughing out loud.

As they retreated back home, they heard noises coming from their headquarters. A mixture of grunts, laughs, and things being tossed, and breaking upon touching the rough grassy floor. Walker rushed over to his base with Berry Melon, and Elfie closely behind him, and upon seeing it they noticed their front door was broken, and whatever broke into their base was still inside.

"Hey!" Walker roared in sudden anger

For a moment the noises stopped, then the sound of multiple footsteps echoed inside, and from out the front door came 4 Petite Orcs scrambling out of the house, and carelessly began forming a horizontal line as soon as a single Orc Captain began marching out of the building. He looked at the three demons he did not recognized, and snorted in disgust, Walker quickly took offense by this.

"Who the hell do you think you are barging into my base, and wrecking everything!" Walker darkly exclaimed

"Your base?*Snort* this house belongs to the orc clan!*Snort* you can find someplace else to stay!*Snort*!" The Orc Captain explained

"I'm out of a home again..." Elfie muttered sadly, a single teardrop fell from her right eye.

"Well I'm sorry to say, but that's a load of bull, with a capital B, I bought this land fair, and square, and there wasn't any mention of you guys at all!" Walker said

"You must be new here.*Snort*!" The Orc Captain simply said

"You know, I'm really getting tired of people telling me that now..." Walker muttered

"This place use to belong to the Orc Clan until we crashed it after a brutal party!*Snort* So we sold the land to some guy, took the money, and left.*Snort* so when we came back, and saw it fixed we decided to take it back!*Snort*!" The Orc Captain said

"That's too bad because I'm not selling, now get out of my property!" Walker exclaimed

"*Snort* no it's too bad for you!*Snort* because when the orc clan wants something, we simply take it!*Snort* so you get out of our property!*Snort* we're gonna have a party, and you aren't invited!*Snort*!" The Orc Captain said

"...Heh...hehehe~...well looks like we're both on opposite terms. So guess I'm gonna hafta to settle things the old fashion way." Walker announced

He drew his weapon, and went into a battle ready position, his hat, and poncho swaying in the wind even he didn't know was present.

"Elfie right? Time for your test, take this, and back us up in whatever way you can." Walker said tossing the kindergarten toy bow at her.

She caught it, stared curiously at the weak thing, but did not refuse as she too went into battle ready position on Walker's right side.

"I'm not gonna give up my room without a fight!" Berry Melon exclaimed as she too readied her staff, and single spell, she stood on Walker's left side, and ready to go.

The orcs realizing they weren't gonna leave without a fight had rearranged their line into a reverse V shape position. The Orc Captain at the back with two petite orcs one each side, and diagonal from one another. With Walker's fighting challenge accepted he quickly drew out battle plans in his head, though he figured despite being outnumbered they still had a pretty decent chance against them.

_End Chapter_

_I know it's not what you expected, but I'm trying something new here, though I'm sure it's not really. Anyways there's gonna be way more to come, more content, more characters, and an obvious goal to be met, that is of course if you guys find this entertaining enough to be continued..._


	2. Chapter 2

_Chapter 2: A Fight, and a Thief's Job_

_Alright sure I'll keep this up, I hope to meet everyone's expectations. Enjoy!_

Front yard of the Disgaea Guild

A grid system overlapping the grass opening, stopping just at the edges where the trees were growing suddenly appeared, Hank seeing nothing new recounted his days of his training, and began issuing orders.

"El-...I mean Berry Melon try to get close enough to the Orcs on the left side, while at the same time keeping a distance just out their reach, and while you're at it tell me if you can hit the closest to you with a fire spell" Walker ordered.

"Roger!" Berry Melon exclaimed.

She tiptoed through three squares, her target still a few squares away, once at her position she aimed a fire spell, her range just barely reaching the Orc closest to her.

"I can hit one from here!" Berry Melon called out.

"Good, if you take out the first one, then it should take the one behind it two turns to reach you, and just for the record you'll be attacking first. Now then I'm going to shoot at the Orc farthest to the right next, Elfie you aim your bow at the one in front of my target last, hopefully if my evility could guarantee a critical hit for you, it should be enough to take it out in one hit despite you being so weak." Walker ordered

"R-right!" Elfie said.

Walker walked but a single step, having a gun that could reach up to five squares allowed him to keep a safe distance while Elfie's bow could only reach four, but if Walker's plan works there would be no Orc to reach her.

"Keep our distance, and they won't even touch us for the entire fight, okay I'm ending our turn!" Walker announced

Berry Melon cast fire on Petite Orc giving it surprisingly high damage.

"No~ my one, only, and convenient to the combat plot elemental weakness *oink*!" The Petite Orc wailed as he vanished like all defeated foes do, and at the same time Berry Melon leveled up by one level.

Walker fired a single shot at the Orc, impressed with himself when he saw that it killed it in one go. Then it was Elfie's turn, she fired a single arrow, and with Walker's evility, it was a critical hit, just barely enough to take it out as planned. Elfie was happy with herself, and even more so when she found out she leveled up two levels. With their turn over, they stood their grounds as the Orcs began to formulate a plan of their own...

"*Snort*-we have them by the snouts now, we didn't need all those troops to being with-*snort*!" The Orc Captain declared victoriously.

"Your complete denial of even the most obvious is most-*oink*-impressive sir!" Petite Orc complimented.

"*Snort*-yes, I am a natural strategist aren't I, that is why I want you to get as close as you can to that red haired brat while I-*Snort* stay here, and evaluate on your combat efficiency-*Snort*" Captain Orc commanded

"Sir I will do my best-*Oink*-despite the impossible odds!" Petite Orc declared

Petite Orc advanced upon Berry Melon stopping just one square away from her, his tiny feet unable to carry him further.

"Sir I have reach my maximum distance-*oink*-what are my orders now?" Petite Orc called out

"*Snort*-excellent work now I want you to stand there, and draw all their attention to yourself. For the mad house party-*snort*!" Captain Orc shouted

"For the mad-*oink*-house party!" Petite Orc cried out

The enemy declared their turn over causing them to turn control back to Walker, and his team.

"...This is almost sad..." Walker muttered

"W-Walker, help! I can smell his breath! It reeks of booze, and blind ignorance!" Berry Melon called

"So that's why they are so weak to fire, they must be combustible from all the alcohol in their system." Elfie figured

"We can discuss whatever flammable alcohol they drank later, it's our turn now, so here's what we'll do. Berry Melon retreat to our side, while still being able to hit that Orc with another fire spell. To make it easier I'm gonna shoot that 'Captain' of theirs first, then you burn the little fool. Elfie you'll wait it out next to me, I'm not gonna risk unnecessary injury if both our shots don't finish off that Captain of theirs" Walker suggested.

"Walker...O-okay!" Elfie said, moving herself back one square next to Walker.

"...I'm just gonna step one square forward to get a better shot." Walker said as he took to his word, and moved up a square.

"Oh..." Elfie said

"Use all my magics!" Berry Melon shouted excitedly

She retreated three squares away from her target, upon aiming her fire spell, she was glad to see it could in fact reach, and with her attack a confirm hit she stood her ground.

"I'm all ready here!" Berry Melon shouted

"Great! Remember, me first, then you, Elfie will be our support if for some reason it's not enough to kill it, alright it's time to execute!" Walker concluded.

He fired a single shot to the Captain Orc doing only taking one fourth of his health while Berry Melon performed a second fire spell on the last Orc, and with the added critical damage bonus she made quick work of it.

"Well alright then I guess if that's all there is to it, I'm ending our turn, your move Captain Dork!" Walker called out

"It's Orc!" Captain Orc argued

With Walker's turn ended Captain Orc counted his remaining foot soldiers, and after counting, and recounting several times, each concluding to zero, it was obvious that he had no choice, but to get his claws dirty.

"*Snort*-you shall have the honor of dying by a high ranking officer! I shall make the spots of your demise into a dance floor-*snort*! That way we can literally dance on your graves-*snort*! Captain Orc assured

He took four steps forward, but unfortunately, he was still two squares away from the closest target.

"*Snort*-no matter, hit me with your best shot! I'd like to see you even try to penetrate my armor-*snort*!" Captain Orc challenged, and thus ended his turn, and allowed Walker his turn.

"...I was wrong this isn't almost sad, it's completely sad. Oh well, here's how it's going to work, I'm going to perform my special, then Elfie you shoot him with an arrow, and when all else fails, Berry Melon you finish it with a fire spell, sounds simple enough right?" Walker ordered

"You finally remembered my new name~" Berry Melon said melancholy

"I'll take that as a 'understood', you Elfie?" Walker said

"A simple plan from a simple demon, yes I do." Elfie admitted

"*Sigh*, don't friendly fire Walker, she can't help it...(can she?)" Walker mumbled, then thought.

"Remembered, remembered~" Berry Melon sang

"...Alright, before we distract ourselves any further, execute!" Walker ordered

"Tri-Burst!" Walker roared

He fired two consecutive shots, performed a series of unnecessary front flips, and fired a third mid flip, landing perfectly on the ground. The attack left the Orc Captain with one fourth of his health remaining which Elfie's critical arrow shot made quick work of the rest. Their first victory was theirs, the grid began to vanish signaling an end to the fight, but the Captain Orc apparently had something to say, for he did not vanish in a burst of light like his allies did.

"*Snort*-how could this be!*Snort*-I was motivated to party, that should have been more than enough to kill you all-*snort*!" Captain Orc said

"Seriously why didn't you poof out of here? You're not all that important." Walker scoffed

"*Snort* I am too important, your first opponent is always the re-occurring one-*snort*!" Captain Orc insisted

"You've gotta be joking, you important? You didn't even have a real name! Hell your 'name' is the same as your title, that's how unimportant you are." Walker argued

"...*Snort*-that may be, but the Orc family tree is strong as it is numerous!*Snort*-you've only broken a twig in the smallest branch connected to an even bigger branch connecting to the trunk...*dead*" Orc Captain concluded soon afterward disappearing along with his foot soldiers.

"Looks like a victory on our side, and you two even leveled up a bit, this should make our future fights easier." Walker congratulated

"Looks like they dropped something." Elfie noticed

Sure enough right where Captain Orc died, there was a small brown, leather bag. Upon picking it up, opening it, and dumping the contents into his empty hand he was rewarded with several hundred HL.

"Well ain't this a treat." Walker said to himself

"We can finally score some well deserved snacks! To the cake shop, away!" Berry Melon shouted

"...Pretty sure their closed by know, it's getting dark, and even if they weren't they will by the time we get there. So let's just eat dinner for now, and rest, hopefully someone has noticed our ad, and will come to us with a job." Walker said

"Dinner? As in not eating out of scraps from dumpsters?" Elfie curiously asked

"That really depressed me, if you promise never to speak of your homeless days, I'll give you extra servings whenever you want" Walker said.

"I'd appreciate it, and it's a deal" Elfie said.

"Then let's go inside" Walker said.

"Hooray~" Both girls cheered

The three teammates entered their home, Elfie in particular was more excited being allowed somewhere with a roof underneath.

"Uh...Berry Melon why don't you show Elfie to her room, just give her any room besides yours, and mine while I make us some of my should be famous chimichangas." Walker instructed

"Brother...Is that still the only thing you can cook?" Berry Melon asked

"...Shut up...there's nothing wrong with my chimichangas" Walker mumbled as he made his way to the kitchen.

"Well then, follow me" Berry Melon said opening the doors that lead to the hallway which connected to the multiple empty rooms

"Now just pick any room you want! They're all the same, 'cept of course for mines, and Walkers...for now." Berry Melon said

"Hm~ I think I'll just close my eyes, and pick one at random" Elfie suggested.

"B-but your eyes are alrea-...well if it will help you choose, then go ahead" Berry Melon encouraged

She extended her arms forward, and felt her way around the hallway, bumping into random doors, and walls until feeling one doorknob she felt comfortable with.

"How about this one?" Elfie asked

"Sure! It's even next to my room, we'll be like neighbors, I already can't wait to borrow a cup of sugar from you!" Berry Melon exclaimed

Elfie opened the door to her new room though it was similar to Berry Melon's, and Walkers in every which way.

"I haven't had a room to myself in an eternity, I don't even know what to put in here." Elfie said

"...What about your sign thingy, that could be used for decoration" Berry Melon suggested.

"Yes! It could bring attention to myself, and my sad past unlike your boring life with no accomplishments" Elfie said.

"Hey I accomplished...stuff, I just can't remember!" Berry Melon quickly defended herself.

"S-sorry, let me go get it, it should still be at the front yard" Elfie said

"Meet back in the dining room I'm sure Walker's done cooking by now" Berry Melon instructed.

Elfie nodded, and made haste to the front yard while Berry Melon made haste to the dining room/discussion hall. It took Elfie much longer than expected to find her sign considering the fact that it was now night time, but eventually she uncovered it from dirt, and leaves, returned to the guild, and upon opening the doors to the dining hall she was met with a pleasant sight. Walker, and Berry Melon where sitting by the left side each with their own plate of food, but between them was an empty chair, in front of it, was third plate of food.

"Made it just in time, hurry up, and eat so we can discuss important guild related topics." Walker said

"You didn't start eating without me?" Elfie asked.

"Why would we do that? Then we won't get to know each other better!" Berry Melon cheerfully replied.

"By that she means we need to understand what makes each of us tick so differently so we can work better as a team." Walker reiterated.

"Oh~ come on Walker, what's the point in making a guild if you're still gonna act like a lone gunner?" Berry Melon asked.

"It's in my nature, and you can't fight nature" was Walker's only response.

"No it's called being tsundere" Elfie corrected.

"Damn it there you go with that honest mouth of yours again!" Walker angrily responded as Elfie took her seat.

"So~ if she's telling the truth, and you believed that, then you really are tsundere?" Berry Melon teased.

"Ye-I mean no! That's completely wrong, Elfie that's enough out of you!" Walker said.

"It's in her nature, you can't fight nature!" Berry Melon repeated in a poor impersonation of Walker.

"Don't use my words against me! Geez! Ganging up on me like that, you guys really think like demons alright, completely unfair, now eat." Walker ordered.

The team took several pieces of chimichanga before a conversation suddenly began.

"It's not bad" Berry Melon said with a stuck up voice.

"Well so much for your cute, and innocent facade, but I'm not gonna lose my cool because you said that" Walker assured.

"Well then let's have Elfie do that for me...Elfie, what is your honest opinion about Walker's food he made?" Berry Melon cheerfully, but also curiously asked.

"Oh, no..." Walker mumbled as Elfie swallowed the food in her mouth.

"...It is the best meal I had in my entire life...I think I'm going to cry...*sniff*" Elfie reviewed.

"Aha! See it is great! If a honest person such as Elfie says it's the best, then it has to be the best!" Walker exclaimed.

"Didn't see that coming...where's the dessert?" Berry Melon suddenly asked.

"Well there is one thing missing though..." Elfie suddenly announced.

"What?" Both Walker, and Berry Melon asked with mixed feelings.

"I heard that some humans put 'love' in their meals to make it taste better, and I think this is lacking it." Elfie said.

"Well of course it is, love is hard to come by! I couldn't find any love in the markets, and I have no clue on how to make it from scratch." Walker quickly defended.

"Love is not a spice, it's...well...it's not a spice, but..." Berry Melon tried to explain.

"Love is a feeling inside you that drives you while you cook. Apparently this in turn makes cooking much better, and your food taste better as well. Of course your not suppose to love your food, but the people you're cooking for." Elfie explain more clearly.

"How do you know so much?" Berry Melon asked like a curious schoolchild.

"Oh~ it comes to us healers sometimes, I suppose it has to do something with our history as supposed fallen angels. Or it came to me during one of my studies as a healer, there are tons of made up stories about healers, in relationships with just about everything. Kind of distracting considering the fact that those books were kept right next to the magic scrolls, and whatnot." Elfie explained in detail.

"So there's no love in these?" Berry Melon asked.

"None that I can tell, but I've only read about it, never felt, or tasted it" Elfie said.

"Walker, what's wrong with you? Don't you love us?" Berry Melon pleaded with watery eyes, and a quivering lower lip.

"Don't stare at me like that, or it'll get stuck like that" Walker simply said.

"I'm not hearing a no~" Berry Melon teased.

"Oh my~, b-but we've just met" Elfie bashfully said with flushed, rosy cheeks.

"You're getting ahead of yourselves, or you're just messing with me, I don't care to find out, but if it'll get you to shut up I'll answer your question" Walker said sounding annoyed.

"Yeah, and?" Berry Melon practically shouted.

"You're both handy in a fight, and you two don't normally piss me off, so I guess I don't find you two a hassle." Walker answered.

"...Typical" Berry Melon said.

"What?" Walker said to himself.

"I should have expected an answer like that, I guess it's too soon" Elfie said to herself.

"Quit speaking in riddles, and just tell me what you're trying to say!" Walker ordered.

"Let's just finish our meals, and go to sleep, I need my cutie sleep" Berry Melon said sounding disappointed.

"I suppose that's the peak of our interesting conversation" Elfie said.

"Yet we got nowhere from it" Walker reminded.

"Either way, your food is delicious, and I'm happy to partake in it" Elfie said

"Then I'm gonna end our meeting with this before I forget" Walker said.

Walker then tossed one hundred HL to Berry Melon, and Elfie.

"W-whats this?" Elfie asked.

"It's currency...more precise it's your share of the loot we got fighting those orcs, of course I keep most of it to buy our items, and weapons, and the rest you girls can use for whatever. The more we get payed the more you'll get in return." Walker explained.

"You're giving me a home, and a job~" Elfie weakly said sounding very touched.

"...Uh yeah, figured I'd try something different than the rest, just to keep you motivated into doing your best" Walker said founding himself in a sudden awkward moment.

"Thank you...thank you so, so much" Elfie heartily thanked.

"Okay~ well I already finished my food so I'm gonna hit the sack, you two just...do whatever you want" Walker quickly said putting his plate away, and getting out of the room.

"Something I said perhaps?" Elfie asked.

"Naw~ he's just not use to the whole friendship thing, you know how gunners are." Berry Melon assured.

"Actually he's the first I've met" Elfie corrected

"Well done you!" Berry Melon unnecessarily congratulated.

"Thanks...well I suppose I'm done eating for today, I have a figure to keep after all, healers have a responsibility to keep ourselves looking as beautiful as possible. Mostly because it has an added positive effect when we demons see us treating them." Elfie admitted

"I wish I had that same effect when I'm burning them to a crisp" Berry Melon said with a hint of envy.

"If it helps, there's no one I wouldn't mind being burned by then a red mage such as yourself" Elfie complimented

"Really?" Berry Melon squeaked, instantly perking up

"Well except for maybe a Empusa, or even better, a Succubus!" Elfie said

"Oh~...yeah I went through that phase too" Berry Melon admitted

"Don't we all" Elfie said

After picking up their plates, cleaning them including Walkers, and retreated to their bedrooms while having idle chit-chat. They waved goodnight to each other, and everything went dark, and quiet as the trio drifted off to sleep. It was late into the night when Elfie woke up to creaky floorboards just outside her doorstep, fearing it was a possible crook taking advantage of some poor folk she equipped herself with her bow, and tip-toed towards her room door. The previous fight with the orcs gave her new found confidence in her fighting ability so instead of slowly opening the door to spy on the would be thief like a normal human, she instead opened the door as quickly as she could, and aimed a arrow at the head of the would be thief just as she had turned around. However she quickly lowered it once she found out who it really was...

"Berry Melon? What are you doing?" Elfie whispered curiously

"Oh, you know...um~ sleepwalking?" Berry Melon whispered back

"But you're awake..." Elfie whispered

"I am? I-I guess so-hehe~ I guess I better return to my room then" Berry Melon whispered, though she remained where she stood.

Elfie stared at her for several seconds, Berry Melon still just awkwardly standing in place.

"...Well are you going to, or what?" Elfie asked

"I-I am, I-I just can't do it when you're staring at me like that" Berry Melon complained

"...Oh, I see what's going on...fine, do whatever you want, but I'm gonna ask how Walkers morning was, and something tells me I won't be surprised by his story" Elfie teased, and before Berry Melon could defend herself Elfie retreated to her room, and quickly went back to sleep. Elfie woke up to a shining new day, starting with a few stretches, washing herself, and sluggishly made her way to the dining room to see Walker finish reading a letter he must have received just recently.

"Good morning Walker, how was your sleep?" Elfie asked in genuine sincerity.

"It was fine until I woke up, I haven't told you, but that red mage sister of mine has a habit of sleepwalking into my bed in the middle of the night. It's been like that ever since our parents left us to fend for ourselves when we came of age, she just can't get over that habit of hers" Walker explained

"I see, and where is she now?" Elfie said smiling more broadly than normal

"Still asleep, she's kind of a heavy sleeper, it's hard to wake her up sometimes so I didn't bother today, but that's not important. What is important is this letter I got, apparently someone read my advertisement, and wants to hire us for something, says here they'll give us more details once we meet them at...the fountain it seems" Walker explained

"So we actually do stuff here?" Elfie asked

"That's right, we're not just some lazy club that does nothing like the 'glee club' by the markets" Walker criticized

"You just haven't heard them sing, hear them out once, you might change your mind" Elfie defended

"Well I doubt, I'm not particular a fan of people singing other people's songs, even if they sound better doing so" Walker said

"I don't see it like that, it's more like a new rendition of a great song that deserves more attention that it gets" Elfie continued

"That's fine, and dandy until you get them singing stuff you hear over, and over again, I mean come on, we hear it all the time on the radio, and Television, no need for you guys to sing it too" Walker said

"That's true, but it's not always often, just when they have a huge demand for them to do so, it's not their fault" Elfie added

"Yeah I guess...wait we got off topic! I was going to say to get your stuff, and come with me to wake up Berry Melon" Walker quickly said

"Aw~ I really like our conversation, but orders, are orders, I'll get my bow" Elfie said

"That's better" Walker said following Elfie to her room.

They went to her room where she picked up her bow, and not much else, then they went to his room to see Berry Melon sprawled on Walkers bed like a passed out college student on a Saturday morning after a kegger party just after finals week was over...basically she's still asleep.

"Alright, so how are we going to do this..." Walker asked his new healer

Elfie took the initiative climbed on top of Berry Melon, and proceeded to gingerly smack her across the cheeks several times, increasing in force every so often.

"W-what are you doing!" Walker shouted

"What? I'm gonna heal her afterward" Elfie reminded

"Oh yeah~" Walker remembered

Several minutes later Walker was once again combing her sister's hair, her cheeks bright red, though whether it was because of the multiple slaps, or because she was furious was anyone's guess.

"Hey I'm voluntarily brushing you this time, you should be thankful" Walker argued

"I have mixed feelings!" Berry Melon declared

"I did heal you after all...by the way, can I have a turn Walker?" Elfie asked

"I'm not a brushing machine! Just do it yourself, anyways Berry Melon we got a job offer, so as much as I want to rub it in your face I'd like to keep it professional" Walker said as he tossed the brush over to Elfie.

"Thanks, I know how much you like to rub it in" Berry Melon said

"Right you are, now then, let's head out" Walker said

With both girls hair neat, and straight Walker lead his team outside, and upon a closer inspection he made a sudden observation.

"Elfie...where are your shoes, or were you too poor to afford them?" Walker asked

"You don't know? Healers are always barefoot" Elfie explained

"Why? Isn't that a little uncomfortable?" Walker asked

"You see we healers learn to treat our patients in a multitude of ways, whether to heal their injuries in combat, to heal mental anguish through therapy, sympathetic looks, or just being next to them to them to make it seem as if they are popular among the ladies" Elfie explained

"That didn't answer my question" Walker said

"...Sometimes our job may require a bit of...desperate requests, which is where my...assets come into place" Elfie began as she hovered her hands towards her chest. "Sometimes it's not enough though despite their perky, round, soft, and somewhat larger than average size, some demons prefer other body parts. That's where our feet would come in, we just lift our dress, and-" Elfie continued

"O-okay, okay stop! I know your honest, but don't be specific! I'm not gonna ask about that ever again, let's just go now!" Walker practically shouted

"It's no big deal" Elfie muttered.

They began walking across the dirt trail

"Don't you have any shame woman?" Walker asked

"It's just my body there's no shame in that" Elfie said

"Let's change the topic then shall we?" Berry Melon suggested

"Sometimes I feel like we talk more than we work" Walker said

"We haven't worked yet" Berry Melon reminded

"Exactly!" Walker said

"Is this how it's going to be like the rest of the time?" Elfie said

"Yup, and hopefully you won't be the only one, Walker who are we gonna have join us next?" Berry Melon asked cheerfully

"I don't know, haven't put any help wanted signs up so I don't think anyone would come to us looking for a job yet, but that's fine it's not like I have the cash to pay any more" Walker said

"You think that can change when we finish this job?" Elfie asked

"Don't forget we have to buys weapons, armor, and items, speaking off armor I don't believe you have something to increase your defense Elfie" Walker noticed

"I cannot tell a lie, I do not" Elfie admitted

"Back to the rhyming fighter yay!" Berry Melon cheered

"Hopefully she's sick, and a non-rhyming assistant is there" Walker said

"I've always like the shopkeepers, even if they didn't like me, cause you know, no HL" Elfie said

"Is that really all?" Walker suspiciously asked

"Well I did only just stare at them, they never introduced themselves to me" Elfie added

"Well if our client chooses not to say his, or her name, then by all means don't stare...I don't know how you do that with your eyes closed, but just don't do it" Walker instructed.

"Crystal" Elfie said

They made it to town, ignoring most of the sights of demons parading through the streets for some unknown celebration that would simply take them out of their responsibilities such as providing food, fresh water, and proper plumbing to the town. After being covered in confetti, nearly dragged into a dancing circle by Berry Melon, and just narrowly ducking from a oncoming tossed Prinny which blew up shortly after, they made it to their meeting spot at the Succubus Fountain where a lone Thief Class looking away from her guild kicking at the water clearly bored.

"Are you our employer?" Walker asked as he attempted to dust off the confetti, and glitter off his hat.

"My aren't you the smart one *giggle*" the Thief sarcastically responded with a squeaky, and teasing voice

"Right, this is gonna be fun...alright well what's the job you hired us for?" Walker professionally asked.

"Oh~ it's more of a scouting mission really. See I don't know if you noticed, but I'm a thief" their thief client admitted.

"No~!" Berry Melon gasped.

"You boys look different than the last ones I saw a long time ago so much more effeminate" Walker commented.

"What are you talking about creep, I'm suppose to be like this I'm a gi-" the Thief began.

"Right, right I get, it's not a choice, I know your types, and I understand now what's the mission?" Walker asked wanting to get back to duty.

"You dummy I'm-oh! Whatever your jobs are simple, you just help me scout for possible targets! Go inside their houses as whatever it takes, and take note of what they have inside" the Thief explained

"So how's our pay going to work out sir?" Walker asked.

"...My name is Milky, and that's how you're gonna call me for the rest of our trip. As for your pay I'll give you a portion of my stolen goods" Milky said.

"It's a pleasure to meet you Milky!" Elfie quickly said.

"! Uh...thanks, nice to meet you too...anyway I have a few houses I've been suspicious about, so you three just go inside, obviously no one has ever let me in a house before because well...you know I might, and by that I mean I will take something from them" Milky concluded.

"Seems easy enough, alright leads to the nearest house" Walker said.

"Just follow me, once we get close I'll keep watch from one of the nearby roofs when I see you come out just make sure there's open land for me to land on next to you" Milky said as she began walking, the rest following.

"By the way my name is Berry Melon!" Berry Melon exclaimed.

"My name is Elfie, and until you've introduced yourself I've been silently staring at you." Elfie said.

"O~kay~" Milky awkwardly said.

"...Walker..." Walker simply said.

"I was wrong about you, I thought you were smart, but any man that can't clearly tell I'm a pretty girl is a complete dunderhead" Milky said.

"Hey I don't care how feminine you look, I've read plenty of books about thieves, and if they read you guys are made up of girly boys, then it must be so." Walker said.

"That was a long time ago! I was...confused" Milky admitted.

"You're still confused now, maybe you should just stick to stealing, because self identification seems way off your scale" Walker mocked.

"Watch your mouth jerk! I can steal the pants right off ya, and you wouldn't even notice" Milky said.

"Yeah, yeah I'm not saying your thieving skills were bad, in fact if I didn't think it was so easy then I'd be impressed with your sticky fingers" Walker began.

"Really?" Milky said sceptically.

"Yeah, but your clothing is a tad strange to me, though I don't mind, whatever floats your boat. If it makes you feel like a pretty girl, and that was what you were aiming then it's fine by me" Walker said.

"It's suppose to represent who I am...the cat ears, and paws show that I'm a cat-burglar" Milky declared.

"What a terrible cat pun, I think I'm gonna need new ears before my old ones begin to bleed" Walker ranted.

"You jerk! It took me forever to figure that out, and I thought it was pretty funny, if you keep this up I'm deducting your pay!" Milky exclaimed.

"I sincerely apologize, Berry Melon you take over on the conversation." Walker said.

"No need we're already here" Milky pointed out.

In front of them was a red brick house surprisingly well kept, and clean on the outside, it stood out compared to most of the dust cement, and wooden houses on the town.

"I can see why you'd pick this place, I bet they have tasty snacks inside~" Berry Melon figured.

"Alright remember go inside don't look conspicuous looking, and make sure to point out all the portable valuables. I'm talking video games, jewelry, but don't take it all you'll never get away with it" Milky said.

"Can do!" Berry Melon exclaimed.

Milky jumped out of sight behind a roof from the building next door while the three guild members took their new sudden acting roles just as they knocked on the door. Several seconds later a Archer Class answered the door looking disgruntled.

"This better be a good reason to distract me from tea time peasants" The classy Archer class said with a sophisticated yet rude voice.

"We believe your house is infested with Mothmans...possibly Messengers" Walker explained.

"Well of course I have a Mothman as my messenger! If all you've come here was to state the obvious then I must ask you to leave for you are interrupting what should be a pleasant tea ceremony" The Archer said in a holier than though accent.

"Did we say Mothman, I meant...ghosts!" Berry Melon exclaimed.

"Good heavens, Ghosts? Well I wouldn't want to spend my days being spied on by spirits, it will unsettle me during tea sessions, and make my snacks unappetizing! Please come in, I do apologize for my rude behavior" the Archer said in a completely different, but polite tone.

"Thank you kindly" Walker thanked.

They went inside admiring the many different trinkets of glass animals, porcelain dolls all placed in separate glass cabinets, and an ancient looking record player. The were standing at what appeared to be the living room, a rectangle opening appeared to lead to the kitchen, and a gleaming wooden zig-zaggin staircase lead to the washroom, and main bedroom as well as the guest bedroom. Back in the living room they saw a silver platter on a wooden table decorated with white linen, and a beautiful jade vase containg several colored flowers that resembled a bunched up rainbow. The platter contained a softly steaming pink teapot with matching tea cups, and scones, biscuits, and brownies all stacked together to make a pyramid partly eaten.

"Wow~" Berry Melon stared.

"Fancy" Walker complimented.

"Why thank you, it's not often I get complimented by such a wild man such as yourself" the Archer said.

"Elfie you get to work inspecting this house for ghosts, you know what to do" Walker instructed.

Elfie nodded, and proceeded to walk around the living room eyeing everything without staring at one object for too long while Walker, Berry Melon, and their Archer host took a seat in a sofa so soft they could feel like falling asleep right then, and there.

"Got any sarsaparilla?" Walker asked.

"I'm afraid I don't know what that is exactly, but I do have tea. For example, my collection is comprised of Earl Grey, Darjeeling, Ceylon, Assam, and not to sound too proud of, but I recently acquired a heavily sought after, and very rare White Pearls! *Giggle* my taste buds giggle at the mere mention of my White Pearl-*giggle*" the Archer said.

"White Pearl, as in actual white pearl?" Walker said sounding dumbfounded.

"Oh? Don't be silly pearls aren't very good with tea, they are too salty from the salt water, and all icky from the clams, not that I don't enjoy a good clam now, and again, but I digress, perhaps you could simply help yourselves to some of my snacks" the Archer said.

"R-really? Thank you so much! Thank you, and your beautiful hair!" Berry Melon exclaimed as she began to help herself to the snacks.

"Y-you really think my hair is beautiful?" the Archer said.

"Uh-huh! My hair can only go straight down, but yours looks so bouncy, shiny, and full of life! Aw~ now I'm getting jealous, better eat some more snacks to pass the feeling away- omnomnomnom" Berry Melon exclaimed as she began to empty the room of all it's snacks as the Archer now focused her attention of Walker, expecting some sort of opinion.

"...What?...oh you're hair right! How long did it take to make it look like that?" Walker asked, though not really caring he was only buying time for Elfie to finish her examination.

"W-well it takes several hours of dedication to make them curl just right, once I do, I take a break with a cup of tea, which by the way you still haven't help yourself to" the Archer reminded.

"Oh I'll-oh look my assistant is coming back!" Walker said as he noticed Elfie coming down the stairs with a good to go signal, or something, he wasn't entirely sure what hand sign Eflie was doing.

"Of course, the ghosts! Please tell me you got them all!" their Archer host exclaimed.

Elfie did not respond to the Archer's plead, instead walked over to Walker, and muttered something neither of them could hear.

"...Uh~ she tells me, that she has completely exorcised the ghost haunting your...bedroom window" Walker said.

"Oh? Well that explains why I get so cold when I open it at night" the Archer said.

"...Right, well we must be off" Walker quickly said.

"You're leaving so soon, but I haven't had a visitor in quite a while, won't you stay for brunch, that means an expensive lunch in peasant talk" the Archer explained.

"N-no thanks, too busy- come on Berry Melon!" Walker quickly said as he carried Berry Melon away from the tray of snacks.

"Is there any way to communicate with you in case the ghosts come back?" the Archer said.

"Y-yeah we have a guild just outside of town on a dirt road, Disgaea Guild to be exact come to us if you have a job, now gotta go!" Walker quickly advertised as he was about to shut the door behind him.

"Wait, what about your thoughts on my hai-" the Archer quickly said, but it was too late, and Walker shut the door before she could finish.

"*Sigh*...I guess it's just another one of those boring d-" the Archer was about to conclude when suddenly the door opened again, with Walker still holding the door knob.

"You have great hair okay, happy? Bye!" Walker rapidly spoke, and shut the door behind him once again.

The Archer was a little confused, but happy all the same as she gently stroked her hair feeling like the rest of the day is going to get even better.

As they walked away from the house Milky jumped from behind them practically making all three of them jump.

"So how's the house anything worthwhile?" Milky asked.

"She has some very expensive tea, the little weirdo" Walker noted.

"That won't work, demons aren't particularly fond of tea, even rare ones won't sell well here, what else?" Milky asked.

"She has some tasty snacks, and from my expertise in fine snack tasting I can tell those were home backed, I should have asked if she was the one who made them, phooey!" Berry Melon exclaimed.

"That's yummy, but it's not gonna fill my wallet, give something I can work with!" Milky exclaimed.

"She has an amazing collection of ribbons, brushed, and dresses, they seem to be made of rich material, as well as silver, and some gold." Elfie said.

"That's much better! Gold clothes, and silver brushes are always a win, I can make a lot of HL selling them to designers, or I can simply melt the silver, and gold, and sell it like that." Milky said.

"You seem to have it all planned out way ahead" Walker noticed.

"Well not one to brag, but I am pretty smart for a thief" Milky said.

"And pretty feminine for a boy" Walker scoffed.

"That's because I am a girl!" Milky angrily replied.

"Whatever helps you sleep at night, so where's our next stop?" Walker asked.

"Just keep following me" Milky grunted.

"So Milky...I like your name, Milky, it's so cute, it's very fitting for a cat-burglar." Berry Melon complimented.

"Thanks! I wish I could say the same about yours, I was kind of expecting a fire mage to be called something that's not named after a fruit drink" Milky playfully teased.

"Well everyone loves Berry Melon, so that means everyone will love me!" Berry Melon explained while poking at her cheeks, and smiling gleefully.

"That sounds more conceited than cute" Milky said.

"...I'm obligated to still like you in order to keep my cute smiling face" Berry Melon mumbled.

"What was that?" Milky asked.

"Oh I was just thinking about how we almost the same height!" Berry Melon noticed.

"Oh yeah! This the first time I haven't had to look up at someone!" Milky said.

"Me too! We could be like sisters! Oh, here's an idea! Wanna be sisters?" Berry Melon quickly exclaimed.

"H-huh?" Milky said clearly confused.

"Don't mind her, she just blurts out whatever pops into her head" Walker explained.

"But It could be fun! Even if it's temporary! We could gossip, talk about boys behind their backs! We could even share clothes! What do you say wanna switch clothes with me?" Berry Melon quickly ranted

"W-wait a minute that's a little embarrassing" Milky said.

"Yeah, I don't want my sister wearing a boy's clothing, and I don't want a peeping kid like you near my sister." Walker said/

"I'm starting to think you're calling me a boy on purpose just to tick me off" Milky said.

"Just passing the time with chit-chat" Walker said.

"Geez the people I hired...wait a sec...I think we missed it...we did!" Milky suddenly realized

"Must have been our conversation, it has been distracting all of us, and misguiding us" Elfie figured

"Either that, or that huge party going on outside" Berry Melon figured

At that point a Wood Golem was running across the streets wearing a bathrobe while shouting "toga!"

"Great now we got to go back!" Milky exclaimed

"Did you choose this day knowing that most demons would be too distracted to notice a thief steal from three houses in one day?" Elfie asked

"I would have done this even if they weren't partying, but this adds to my favor" Milky admitted

"Let's just hurry up, it's not like you're paying us by the hour" Walker said

"You wish!" Milky retaliated

"I do wish that actually" Walker said

"Geez~ it's like you have a smart mouth, but it's only pretending! You're not smart at all if you couldn't even see our next target" Milky ridiculed

"How was I suppose to know! You haven't even described it!" Walker exclaimed

"It's that!" Milky pointed

The building she was pointed at was a one story tall, perfectly square, and dark, gray in color, it's windows revealed a black curtain, but not much else. All in all it seemed like a very plain building though darker than the rest.

"Let me guess, you chose this building because it stands out?" Walker asked

"Yup, now let's do the same to this one, anyone needs me, I'll be sunbathing on the roofs" Milky said as she hoped away.

"I don't like the vibes I'm feeling out of that one, let's make this quick" Walker said

Both girls nodded, and the trio took careful steps towards the house, Berry Melon, and Elfie walking behind, and very close to Walker who was also reluctant to knock on the door, let alone enter it.

_End of Chapter_

_This is still just the beginning there are much more things in store in the future, much, much more._


	3. Chapter 3

_Chapter 3: Hurt Feelings, and Hurt Memories_

_Looks like I'm on a roll with these new personalities, let's see if the rest will be too your liking as well. Enjoy!_

In front of the dark house

Upon closer inspection the walls appeared painted on just recently with the door almost pitch black, and a bronze knocker at the center depicting bones. Walker knocked three times while Elfie, and Berry Melon huddled behind him in fear as the door opened slightly with loud groans, and creaks.

"Why~ are you disturbing me in such a hideous time of day~?" A young voice droned in mourning.

"My name is Walker I'm a house inspector. I've brought my crew with me to inspect your house, and it is of vital importance that you let me in" Walker lied convincingly.

"Inspection~? That is just an excuse to mock me, and my things isn't it? Why am I cursed with such torture, and despair why~?" The voiced moaned in suffering

"I don't know about all that, but I promise I won't mock you if you let us do our job so we may be on our way" Walker assured

"Why bother~? Another day that will end the same with no happiness to come of it. It's like the saying goes...only a lunatic does the same thing over, and over again expecting something different. What a cursed life we live through don't you think~?" The voice meekly said depressingly.

"Was that a yes, or a no?" Walker asked to clarify

"Life is pain...life is only, always constant pain~. If it's not one thing causing you misery it's something else. One day you could scrape your knee, and the next you could have your heart...broken by your twenty seventh crush who refuses to speak to you again just like all the others! *Sigh* you may come in~" the voice ranted in misery.

"Thank you kindly...I guess" Walker said

The door opened entirely revealing the owner of the depressing voice to be that of a Blue Skull. His eyes were droopy, but other than that he appeared like any other Skull class minus the depression.

"I'm sorry if it's not to your liking, but I was unprepared you see...just like how I was unprepared whenever I get my heart stomped on by society" the Blue Skull said

Would you girls quit clinging on me! We have a job to do here" Walker urged as they went inside.

They entered a dimly lit room with no actual light bulbs, but instead colored candles that glowed either bright orange, or a cool blue. The mixture in colored flames depended mostly on their purpose of whatever they were brightening up. The red flaming candles acted as the standard light as the majority of the walls hung several candles in a row as well as multiple candles at the center. The blue flaming candles illuminated objects of worth including several insignia tablets, cauldrons, spell books, and oddly shaped trinkets that shined in contrast of the blue light.

"I hope you can still find your way around without stumbling...although you might, and end up suing me for some minor inconvenience. It seems like that's the norm around here...*sigh* where has society gone wrong~" the Blue Skull wailed

"Are you gonna keep that up all day?" Walker asked

"I'm just poetically speaking what others believe in their hearts...you must feel upset about life as well deep down~" the Skull said

"Well if we can get started I'd like to have a talk with you while my assistant here Berry Melon inspects the rest of your house" Walker started things off.

"W-w-wait a m-minute! I-I don't want to go a-a-alone!" Berry Melon stammered

"...Take Elfie with you then" Walker suggested

Elfie jumped upon hearing her name, and was ready to refuse until she saw Berry Melon's begging face. Her desperation to have some company made it assumed as if her life depended on it so Elfie begrudgingly decided to accompany her.

"Yes, go ahead, and leave...every girl I've met always wants to stay out of sight from me~*sob*" the Blue Skull explained

"Great, start with...well anywhere, but here" Walker ordered as he shooed away his teammates.

Grabbing onto both of each others hands they made their way to a small hallway on the right with a door to the near left, and a door on the far right.

"Would you like to hear one of my poems?" The Blue Skull asked nervously

"I don't even know you kid" Walker said

"Well I-I suppose I should introduce myself then...my name is Lloyd" the Blue Skull introduced himself

"I didn't ask for your name kid" Walker corrected

"Oh~" Lloyd muttered to himself feeling as if he'll be going through one of his 'episodes'.

"B-but it's the right thing to do I guess, I run a guild just out of town" Walker said in an attempt to stall for time while his teammates looked for valuables.

"Didn't you say you were a house inspector?" Loyd muttered sadly

"Eeek~!" Elfie, and Berry Melon were heard screaming.

"...We don't have the luxury of doing just one type of work" Walker answered

"See? Life is so difficult, the road of life is littered with potholes, and trash that make your trip bumpy, and uncomfortable...I feel a poem coming to me~" Lloyd said in angst

"Aren't you a little too young to be so depressed all the time?" Walker asked

"I'm several hundred years old" Lloyd corrected

"I keep forgetting how long we live..." Walker said

"Eeek~!" Their shrieks were heard from one of the rooms.

"D-do you want to-" Lloyd began to ask

"They'll be fine, they're professional" Walker said

"So...how do you keep a life here?" Walker asked

"Oh~ you know...since I don't often use electricity my bills aren't very high~. Though I often act as a un-motivator, seems like all I ever do is make other people depressed, and sad~" Lloyd explained in a drone

"Really? I'm not the least bit upset...uncomfortable, but not sad" Walker assured

"Oh~ you don't? That makes me want to...write my feelings in poetry...*ahem*" Lloyd began

"(Oh man~ what did I do to deserve this?)" Walker thought to himself

"Eeek~!" Both girls shouted yet again before Lloyd could start.

"A fleeting voice of someone dear~

A longing to be so near~

I cannot breathe~

This feeling I can't see~

I'm so lost along this trail~

It seems as if I was born to fail~" Lloyd practically sang in sadness

Walker feeling sorry for him decided to give him an awkward pity applaud for his poorly written poem.

"That was...not god awful at least" Walker sort of complimented

"I suppose so~*sigh* will I ever know the feeling of longing?" Lloyd babbled depressingly

"I'm not so sure I can answer that partner, but I see my partners coming, and hopefully they have some good news" Walker said as he saw his two companions walking towards him in shivers.

"Knowing me, it's never any good~ why do I bother with hope?" Lloyd muttered

"E-e-everything c-c-ch-checks o-o-out~*faint*" Berry Melon reported before passing out in front of Elfie who immediately caught her before she reached the ground.

"Great trust fall exercise Elfie, now then Lloyd was it? It seems like your house is fine" Walker reported

"From what exactly?" Lloyd asked

"Curiosity killed the cat Lloyd I'm sure you recognize that saying, and now we must leave to make sure your house doesn't get condemned, or something" Walker at last said

"I suppose it's for the best...I was hopping I could entertain you with more poetry of longing, and misery, but how could I forget how ineffective hope is~*sigh*" Lloyd said as he huddled on a nearby couch in some sort of depressing meditative state.

"...We'll just see ourselves out then..." Walker said.

"I'm not stopping you~" Lloyd droned as Walker, and Elfie carried Berry Melon out the door.

The sun was blaring brightly, Walker, Elfie, and Berry Melon who began to show signs of life again squinted their newly sensitive eyes as they had to readjust themselves to the light. After walking several feet away from the house Milky jumped out from a nearby roof to greet them holding brightly colored lollipop she obviously stole.

"So how'd it go?" Milky asked as she licked her snack.

"I don't know...girls what did you find?" Walker asked.

"A cauldron that speaks in riddles, and boils constantly?" Elfie began.

"Sounds messy, pass" Milky said.

"A onyx skull with jade teeth that may, or may not be cursed?" Elfie continued.

"I'm liking that! I mean it's not like I'm gonna hold on to it long enough to get cursed" Milky said.

"A stereotypical broomstick?" Elfie asked.

"What makes it stereotypical?" Milky asked.

"It has the slight possibly of flight" Elfie explained.

"Scary~ so scary~" Berry Melon whimpered.

"Oh come on it's just a different style than what we're used to" Walker defended.

"I saw things~ that can never be unseen~" Berry Melon explained.

"Will this cheer you up?" Milky asked pointing at her oversized lollipop.

"Yes!" Berry Melon exclaimed instantly perking up.

"You don't even care that I licked some of it?" Milky asked.

Berry Melon shook her head, her eyes glistening, and a strand of saliva threatening to escape from her mouth.

Milky wordlessly, and expressionlessly handed her lollipop over to Berry Melon who used her magic to create a pink aura background with bright pink patterned hearts, and glitter around her face to complete a pointless, but very adorable eating licking lollipop scene...there were no objections.

"So you said there's one more house left to hit, and then we get paid right sir?" Walker asked.

"I'm a miss! And yes there is one more house left to investigate" Milky said.

"For my first mission this was definitely the most interesting" Elfie admitted.

"You guys are quite a bunch of characters yourself. Boy let me tell it's been a while since I've teamed up with a group!" Milky happily complimented.

"Really? What happened to your old group?" Walker asked.

"I don't think I know you enough to tell you meanie!" Milky said.

"Fine I'm instantly not caring then" Walker simply said.

"No wait I'll tell you then! I-if you're real curious about it I suppose I have no choice then..." Milky said with a stuck up accent.

"Oh please do go on~" Walker dully said with a hint of sarcasm.

"W-well...I was with a small team of a Male Fighter, and my Trickster teacher. She was so amazing~ she could snatch people's stuff from five squares away, and whenever I felt sad she would just steal all my sadness, and I'd feel better!" Milky bragged

"What about the Fighter was he important?" Walker asked.

"He was on, and off again in our team, besides I wanted to be a Trickster like her~...but then everything went wrong" Milky said her tone becoming serious.

"A botched up mission?" Walker asked.

"You all became broke, and homeless like I was?" Elfie attempted to answer.

"You ran out of snacks! ?" Berry Melon exclaimed.

"N-no it was just...*sniff*...w-well anyways the house is right there, you three should get going." Milky quickly changed topics as she wiped her eyes off of any sudden tears.

The house she was pointing at was in fact different than the rest, but only because it was so similar to the basic, and standard homes that make up most of the town. Sure there were some nice yellow flowers standing on the windowsill on the inside, but other than that it looked just like any other home. The roof was an upside down V with cream colored tiles. The house itself was square, and made up of wood just like most of the buildings besides their previous visit to Archer's brick house.

"...I don't get it" Berry Melon admitted.

"Don't judge a book by it's cover" Milky said.

"Yeah, this seems legit alright" Walker sarcastically said.

"No it doesn't...silly" Elfie corrected.

"*Sigh* Milky care to elaborate some?" Walker at last said.

"The owner is rare, you don't see many of her kind having any business to do with us low class" Milky explained.

"Now I take offense to that! I worked my ass off to become what I am today you can't just sa-" Walker began.

"The owner is a Magic Knight Class!" Milky revealed.

"Holy crap that is rare!" Walker said.

"None of us can even reincarnate to a Magic Knight!" Berry Melon exclaimed.

"I bet no one in town could become one. How come I haven't seen her on the streets during one of my begging expeditions?" Elfie asked.

"Calling it a 'expedition' doesn't make it any less degrading" Walker explained.

"Ow~...my pride~" Elfie weakly groaned.

"...I was gonna answer Elfie you know" Milky said.

"Oh please do! don't mind us we get off topic in the most critical of times" Berry Melon politely allowed.

"Ow~...the truth~" Walker weakly groaned.

"Hello! I was gonna say, she's afraid of going outside!" Milky practically shouted.

This in turn caused everyone who was currently dancing, and parading for irresponsible reasons to stop, and stare at them. Even the confetti stayed in the air as if time itself paused to wait for Milky to answer to them.

"...Um~...toga?" Milky awkwardly said while raising a fist.

"TOGA~!" A Wood Golem shouted upon hearing that.

Soon after the town party continued uninterrupted the ground shaking from the stomping of the toga wearing Wood Golem clearly drunk beyond any comprehension.

"Okay~ so why doesn't she go outside? Is she allergic to something?" Walker asked.

"That's what I thought at first, but after closer investigation-" Milky began.

"Whoa, whoa you've been stalking her, but not the house? You are too young to be interested in the opposite sex" Walker scolded.

"I'm a girl!" Milky exclaimed.

"So you're a girl who's interested in...another girl?" Elfie said her cheeks blushing.

"I- wait a-n-no! It's not like that! Ah~! Will you just listen, please? While I was investigating I saw her open the door to her house once. She stepped outside, but then squeaked in fright, jumped back inside, and slammed the door. I don't know what happened, but she never went outside after that, and even before that she never went outside." Milky explained

"O~h~" Elfie, and Berry Melon simultaneously said.

"So why would you want to steal from a coward?" Walker asked.

"Well she's a rare class, which means she must have some rare stuff" Milky figured.

"Is that all you're speculating with?" Walker asked.

"That's part of the reason you're here Walker. Go, and confirm my suspicions" Milky ordered.

"Right, right I get it. Team let's move out" Walker said.

Milky nodded to them before jumping out of sight behind a nearby roof leaving trusting her hired staff, and hoping for a three out of three success rate.

"Girls, I think I'm running out of excuses to get into other peoples houses" Walker suddenly declared.

"Don't worry bro, I got this!" Berry Melon said with confidence

"The mission is riding on you then" Walker said

"We're gonna fail aren't we?" Elfie said

"Oh, big time" Walker said

"You need to have more faith in me" Berry Melon glumly said

They knocked on the door almost soon after hearing a scream of panic as well as several objects falling on the floor, this in turn caused more cries of panic. As the trio waited awkwardly for the door to open they could hear footsteps closing in on the door, but it remained shut. Berry Melon knocked again, and a slight whimper was hear from just behind the door.

"Someone's definitely in there" Elfie noticed

They waited again, but the door remained closed as well as locked.

"H-hello? Can we talk?" Berry Melon called out

"Suddenly this job got increasingly difficult" Walker noticed

"Y-y-you're not e-e-evil?" A scared woman's voice spoke from behind the door.

"We're demons that's debatable" Walker muttered to himslelf

"Hush Walker. Um~ no we're not, in fact you could say we're here to make you smile" Berry Melon declared

"...What...?" Walker muttered disbelievingly.

"C-c-cheer me...up?" The Magic Knight spoke her voice sounding more relaxed.

"That's right, turn your frown upside down!" Berry Melon cheered

"B-b-but I'm n-not all that sad" the Magic Knight proclaimed

"You should have said that to Lloyd" Walker said

"Who?" Berry Melon said

"The one we just visited...the one you passed out on?" Walker reminded

"...Won't you please let us in so we can talk? We desperately need friends we're so lonely we could die!" Berry Melon shouted in a panic

The Magic Knight gave a brief shout of panic upon hearing this.

"Don't make us into some sort of anti-social beggars Berry Melon!" Walker angrily retorted

From behind the door they heard several clicks from locks unlocking.

"It worked didn't it?" Berry Melon teased

The door opened just slightly revealing the face of a Magic Knight, and like all Magic Knights she had short tomboyish hairstyle, very small round earrings, and her most prominent feature of course were her blue eyes which were very odd compared to the usual red demon eyes the majority of the populace has. She peeked at the strangers with wide, nervous eyes her fingers ready to shut the door on their faces in case of any danger.

"We want to be friends! No need to be shy *teehee*" Berry Melon happily proclaimed, her arms open wide as if expecting a hug.

The Magic Knight felt Berry Melon was no threat, but the two behind her were the real cause of her stress which Berry Melon soon realized.

"Oh them! ? Don't you worry about them, they want to be your friends too, and plus what's so good about a song if we don't get a whole bunch of people to sing it with us!" Berry Melon exclaimed

"...You little- I mean...yeah, that's right...we're here to sign you up to join our singing choir" Walker said with a bad poker face.

"...I have stage fright" the Magic Knight answered

"What about happy? You're not afraid of that are you?" Berry Melon asked

"I-I suppose not, b-but I'm also afraid of c-commitment" the Magic Knight explained

Suddenly Elfie poked both of her teammates to draw attention to herself. Apparently she had something to say that required a bit privacy.

"W-would you excuse us for a bit?" Berry Melon politely asked

"Y-you're not planning on burning my h-house are you! ? P-please don't b-b-burn my house!" the Magic Knight broke into a panic

"No, no! It's nothing like that, we just want to talk amongst ourselves" Walker quickly defended

"I-I'm closing the d-door still" the Magic Knight suddenly said before slamming the door behind her.

"This isn't working out, she's a dang coward, that's the problem" Walker said

"Maybe she's just really shy?" Berry Melon said

"No it's a little different than that I'm afraid. It appears as if she needs more than a friend in this case" Elfie diagnosed.

"You think you can get her to open up?" Walker asked

"I am a healer, and it is clear this poor soul is in pain, have her introduce herself so I may talk to her" Elfie said.

"Deal" Walker said.

Berry Melon knocked on the door again soon after hearing a shocked gasp as well as the sound of multiple locks unlocking.

"She re-locked herself in?" Walker asked himself

"P-please all this tension is scaring me" the Magic Knight squeaked

"Could you tell us your name so we can get along better? Please~?" Berry Melon pleaded

"I-I'm afraid of Identity Theft" the Magic Knight said

"Woman, identity theft is one of the last things demons should be afraid of" Walker reminded

"S-still I-" the Magic Knight persisted

"Listen you! we want to help you! You have a problem, and keeping yourself locked up like this like a scared trainee is only a danger to yourself, if there is anything you should be scared of is yourself if you keep acting like this!" Walker shouted in frustration

The Magic Knight slammed her door in total fear, and for a moment nothing happened.

"...I may have dropped the ball on that one..." Walker muttered

"You think?" Berry Melon teased

Several more seconds passed the only sound coming from the parading music, and drunken shouts of early afternoon demon drunks. As the trio were about to leave the door in front of them began to open slowly, but surely. The Magic Knight still keeping her distance.

"N-now I'm a-afraid of m-m-myself" the Magic Knight concluded

"I think I made it worse" Walker whispered

"Let's start over inside shall we?" Berry Melon awkwardly said

"O-okay~" the Magic Knight said in defeat.

They went inside the room was covered in either safety wrap, or extra padding resembling a solitary confinement room for the insane. Elfie helped herself to a tall couch while everyone else stood standing.

"Now how about that name?" Berry Melon urged

"F-firefly..." the Magic Knight answered

"I'll take it from here now, you two can go...not be here" Elfie quickly said with shooing motions.

Berry Melon, and Walker stared for a moment before awkwardly retreating to explore the rest of the house.

"W-w-where are the g-going?" Firefly asked

"We just needed to have some privacy that's all, now then...why don't you lay down on that sofa, and get yourself comfy" Elfie politely instructed

"Um...you're not gonna take a-advantage of me...are you?" Firefly nervously asked

"Only mentally dear, only mentally" Elfie

Firefly trembled nervously.

"Now then, I see you are a level one, so I can understand why you would be terrified of many things considering the majority of the populace can annihilate you, but that's no reason to be afraid of them" Elfie explained

"A-actually I-I just reincarnated to make myself feel more like...the others in this town" Firefly explained

"Oh? So you were much stronger a while ago? Care to elaborate while I massage you?" Elfie asked

"W-w-what! ?" Firefly quickly stammered

"S-sorry it's just, you seem very tense even after I told you to relax. Moving on...what lead you to reincarnate to begin with?" Elfie asked

"I-I-I don't want to remember..." Firefly answered

"I know it's hard, but I get the feeling you've never talked about this before, and I feel talking about it could help you overcome it" Elfie explained

"Well...I wasn't always l-l-like t-this...I was a powerful Rune Knight with a group of equally strong Classes. We would defeat many enemies, and overcome difficult obstacles...we thought we could take on all the worlds" Firefly told.

"Sounds like you've been around th-" Elfie began.

"B-b-but then w-w-w-we got a chance t-t-to enter...and w-w-we did!" Firefly stammered nervously

"Where did you enter exactly?" Elfie asked. She could feel Firefly's fears rising, almost feeling them hit against her, but she decided a gentle push was the only way to get answered

"T-t-t-the Land of Carnage!" Firefly shouted

There were several loud gasps.

"Are you crazy!" Walker was heard shouting as Firefly suddenly burst into tears.

"There, there~ that must have been such a long time ago, it's all over now" Elfie tried to console while placing gentle hands along Firefly's shoulders

"*Hic* w-w-we were decimated-*sob*! It was so s-scary-*sob*-I can't forget-*waaa~*!" Firefly sobbed as she crying more.

"What happened afterward?" Elfie sympathetically asked

"What was left of us d-d-disbanded...I sold most of my spells, and e-evility so I-I can reincarnate, and hide somewhere s-safe...I even changed my n-name" Firefly finished.

"You poor thing...you lost everything during that whole experience, come on...don't be afraid to keep close to me, I'm a healer after all" Elfie whispered as she closed her arms around her shaking patient.

"(Leave it to a healer to be so helpful)" Firefly thought to herself

"(Her rack must be twice as large as mine! Even I have a hard time keeping my eyes off them)" Elfie thought to herself.

"Listen, you can't keep spending your life like this. Demons have a long life span, it's only gonna feel worse before it gets better" Elfie said

"I-I tried to go o-o-out once *sniff*...but all of a sudden I got the feeling of being watched...so I stayed here...I'm pathetic" Firefly scolded herself.

"Hm~ that's understandable, maybe it's better if you didn't do everything by yourself though. Wouldn't it be easier to call your friends to help you overcome your trauma?" Elfie asked as she began petting Firefly as she began to lower her defenses.

"I-I lost contact with everyone after...t-t-that...I'm all alone so I have to face this alone...but I'm scared!" Firefly admitted

"Hm~ this may not be withing my power, but I can't leave someone unhealed, I would be a disgrace to my fellow Healers...I'd have to reincarnate to something lesser...like a Gunner!" Elfie declared

I heard that! Damn you Elfie!" Walker shouted from one of the rooms.

"Overlord help me if I had to reduce myself to that!" Berry Melon was heard saying

"Damn you both!" Walker angrily exclaimed

"What are you s-saying? C-c-can I be saved?" Firefly desperately asked

"Well let's not tell him just yet, but...why don't you hang out with us?" Elfie whispered

"W-w-what?" Firefly stammered

"It's obvious you have issue that can't be handled through one sitting, and just one cuddling session, and we just so happen to have spare rooms to...spare so we can help you overcome your fears" Elfie explained

"I-I don't know..." Firefly said

"We'll start off slow, just take it one thing at a time, and we'll all support you...all three of us can bring something different in you. Your first step is to overcome your fear of commitment by joining our Guild, and then we can have more sessions like this" Elfie began.

"But...w-w-who would want a chicken like me?" Firefly said

"My employer Walker would...through some negotiating. Did you know I was nothing more than a broke beggar living in the streets until I met Walker just recently?" Elfie said

"He seems like such a nice person" Firefly softly whispered as her head was gently pulled towards Elfie's chest.

"Nice isn't exactly what he would like to describe himself...he sees potential in everyone even if he doesn't believe it himself sometimes. Just push yourself towards him, and he'll see how much you want to improve, and he'll let you in." Elfie advised her hands resting on Firefly's tummy, and rubbing gently.

"I-I should...t-try?" Firefly question as she found herself suddenly feeling warm

"That's right, you sho-" Elfie was saying

"What are you two doing?" Walker asked from in front of them, Berry Melon snickering from behind him.

"Consolation...it's part of my Healer resume" Elfie explained

"Consolation? All I see are two grown women on a couch cuddling each other...I'm pretty sure we can both see the problems in this" Walker said

"Remember what I said" Elfie whispered towards Firefly as they both awkwardly stood up.

"We're done here, sorry to keep you, and sorry for um~ whatever Elfie tried to do to you, we could have sworn she was one of our normal ones" Walker half apologized

"It's part of the treatment Walker, just because I haven't done it to you does not mean I won't..." Elfie said with a quick smirk

"I-I-It's no problem" Firefly said

"Couldn't help, but overhear your conversation...Land of Carnage eh? That was mighty stupid of you, a brave kind of stupid though" Walker sort of complimented.

"I-I'd rather not thing about it" Firefly said

"It also seems like you're not stammering as much hm~" Berry Melon mused

"Yes, but she still has issues. Firefly why don't you tell them something important?" Elfie urged

"*Whimper* o-okay...um~ W-w-walker...c-c-can I-I-I-" Firelfy began to say

"Hm? What is it? Speak up, if you really want something you gotta say it with confidence...so what do you want exactly?" Walker said

"Remember...push yourself towards him" Elfie whispered

"I-I-I want to j-join your G-guild!" Firefly finally revealed

"Huh! ?" Walker suddenly said

"Push~, push~" Elfie whispered

Firefly unable to comprehend what Elfie was meaning instead took it literally, and pushed her body towards Walker. Walker still too confused was caught off guard as Firefly practically tackled him to the ground.

"Close enough" Elfie shrugged

"W-what are you doing! Get off!" Walker stammered

"S-s-so will you take me?" Firefly asked

"W-what are you saying!" Walker gasped, emotions inside him running high.

"Remember? She wants to join our group, and I believe she would be very invaluable to us...Berry Melon you have a little drool coming out of your mouth" Elfie explained

"O-okay, okay you can join! Now get off, oh man~ I don't feel right!" Walker quickly said

"My conditioning work" Elfie said to herself

"Did you put her up to this?" Walker asked as he wiped the sweat from his face.

"Yes, and...yes, yes I did" Elfie admitted

"I-I'll just go get something first" Firefly said as she stood up.

"G-geez what was that...I would have never expected it" Walker muttered to himself

"Well isn't that a good thing? Being unpredictable I mean" Elfie said

"Yeah I guess, but I don't see how glomping on someone in a fight is gonna do any significant damage" Walker said

"O-o-okay I'm back!" Firefly called out

They turned towards her, and saw her holding a Cutlass sword weapon, and equipping it.

"I thought for someone who's been around the Netherworld you would have something more impressive than that?" Walker said

"I-I sold most of my things to buy this place, but I didn't want to feel too unguarded so I bought this a long time ago with what was left of my HL. I-It's a little dusty, but the stats are the same" Firefly explained.

"Well I suppose it's better than our crap, I don't suppose you'll be taking some of that stuff with you then will you?" Walker asked

"Y-you mean b-b-because I'll be staying in your b-b-building?" Firefly asked

"...Sure..." Walker said

"Berry Melon? We're leaving now" Elfie called out

"Uh~ huh!" R-really? What happened I-I kind of blanked out" Berry Melon stammered.

"Firefly decided to take Walker, and he accepted" Elfie poorly explained

"When I told you to be less specific this morning, I meant only about yourself" Walker reminded.

"I'm still confused" Berry Melon admitted.

"All you need to know is that we got a new team member...apparently...you're not gonna run away from a fight are you?" Walker asked

"I-I'm not making any promises" Firefly admitted

"How come no one ever makes a decent promise of staying behaved, and loyal to me? Is that so hard to ask?" Walker said to himself

"Anything else you might need?" Elfie asked

"I-I've brought a c-couple hundred HL with me, a-a-and some cheap snacks" Firefly mentioned

"Finally I feel like someone in this Guild is bringing something into this" Walker said satisfied with the results.

"I brought absolutely nothing to the team" Elfie declared.

"Thanks for the heads up Elfie, let's go" Walker sarcastically said.

Walker was the first to exit the building followed by Berry Melon, and Elfie, but Firefly paused just behind her door still looking unsure.

"Come on Firefly, we've got loads of Guild related adventures to go through" Berry Melon urged

"Not entirely, we don't have the luxury, or skills to do so" Elfie admitted

"Geez why don't you go on Elfie?" Walker sarcastically asked

"We are the bottom of the barrel, the newcomers on an easy setting, the newbie's newbie assistant, the-" Elfie began

"What she means is...if you're gonna begin this journey, you got to take a single step first, right?" Walker said

"No I meant to say that we suck" Elfie said.

"...*Sigh* I'll excuse that since I just opened shop yesterday" Walker said in defeat.

"So~ did that make you want to go outside now?" Berry Melon sweetly asked

"I-I don't know w-what to think..." Firefly admitted

"Then how about this...whenever you're scared of doing something, don't think about it, and just do it" Elfie said

"That's terrible advice woman! That kind of recklessness is dangerous, and foolish, in fact I believe that is the wor-" Walker began to rant

"It worked! I-I'm outside!" Firefly cried out from the outside of her house.

"*Ugh* idiots the lot of you" Walker groaned as they began to walk away from Firefly's home when all of a sudden...

"Took you long enough!" Milky cried out as she suddenly jumped behind them.

"Milky~ you made Firefly break!" Berry Melon complained

Firefly was on the floor appearing as if in a catatonic state while clutching her rapidly beating heart.

"...Someone want to fill me in here?" Milky awkwardly asked

"Well apparently she forced herself unto me wanting to join our Guild...so I let her, I mean she's a coward, but she's also a Magic Knight, we both know how much potential they can bring in a fight." Walker explained

"Great, great, what did she stash?" Milky asked with gleaming eyes.

"Well she'll be coming with us, so the house will be unguarded, and unwatched, I can tell you in advance though, there isn't much besides the usual Magic Knight Garbs, some seeds for flowers, fruits, and veggies." Walker explained

"She sold most of her treasures to buy that house, whatever she had of values it's all gone now" Elfie explained

"Geez, well that's a bust, well I guess I can still make a mint with two out of three houses" Milky said to herself.

"Sly, very sly of you, but whatever floats your boat, but right now I've got a team to worry about, so if you'll just give us our cut now" Walker asked

"W-well yeah I suppose, I mean, we made a great team ourselves too you know...we could make a killing if we kept this up" Milky awkwardly said.

"Yeah, sure whatever, hey Elfie is she coming too, or what? Walker called out

"I just spat at her, she should be fine" Elfie called out

"And I just said 'ew gross~' upon her doing so" Berry Melon called out

"I'd wish you'd try something different before coming to that" Walker said.

"I suppose this was just one job of course...but it's not like we didn't have any fun times together, shared some laughs. We really got to know each other over the past hour, or so" Milky muttered nervously.

"Oh? I think she's waking up now, good work I suppose Elfie" Walker called out

"Just doing my job" Elfie called back

"My cheek feels funny~" Firefly weakly muttered.

"You know...you guys were the first people I joined with in forever, and seeing how fun, and a little weird it was I thought maybe we could...you know do this more oft-" Milky shyly began to ask

"Are you going to pay us, or what? We can't stay out of topic forever" Walker interrupted.

"W-wha~t?...F-fine! Take your stupid money! I didn't even know why I bothered! You, you, dummy!" Milky shouted as she flung a small leather sack, and smacked Walker's face upon impact before making a break for it.

"Ow! Damn it! What's his problem?" Walker frustratingly asked his teams.

"I don't know, but I think you messed up bro" Berry Melon said

"Whatever, we got payed, and with this we can buy ourselves some new gear, and maybe even one of those things to call other demons from...a phone!" Walker said

"Is she gonna be okay?" Elfie worriedly asked

"He can make do with whatever he'll eventually snatch, it's not our problem anymore" Walker said

"B-but she did sound pretty mad, what if she steals from us, or something as revenge?" Berry Melon asked

"Then I'll beat him in a fight" Walker answered

"But we don't know where she lives. She could live anywhere" Elfie said

"Well for starters that's not possible, remember he's not allowed in homes, and even apartment managers reject his kind. Second he would have to make a place from scratch to stash all the stolen goods, and houses like that stick out in the world. Thirdly, I just saw where she was headed, it looked at as if there may be a secret clearing on the wooded area behind the houses, and all we'll have to do is follow her tracks. Thiefs may be quick, but only Genin, and Hanakage can hide their trails." Walker expertly explained

"Great, so you can lead us to her!" Berry Melon said

"What for? He already paid us, let's just leave the little guy alone, and worry about ourselves!" Walker said in a 'that's final' tone, and walking the opposite direction of Milky, his team begrudgingly following.

Meanwhile at Milky's Hideout

If you can actually call it a 'hideout'... it was comprised of mostly cardboard boxes that once housed large televisions, which were just tall enough to allow Milky's short stature to stand up inside. The 'roof' was mostly plastic strategically angled for rainwater to spill on several buckets she kept to keep herself clean, and hydrated. The inside was well insulated with blankets, tarps, and cotton on the 'walls', and cardboard carpet underneath was regularly dried from the wet soil on several occasions. Despite the poor environment, the inside was littered with shiny objects, valuable watches, rings, and cute knickknacks all stolen over the years. Though she'd prefer less cardboard on her dream house, Milky still enjoyed her makeshift home. After jumping, and running through the trees, and foliage she went inside her cozy cardboard boxes, and rested on a portion of the floor which had several more layers of blankets compared to the rest of the floor. Underneath those housed her most personal treasure...a furry pink pillow in the shape of a cat's face wearing a silly grin with it's eyes shut into upside down V's, and half Milky's size. The first gift she was given from her Trickster teacher long ago, it still had a lingering, but fading scent of the Trickster when the two would often squeeze it together during their sleepovers. She sat cross legged clutching the soft pillow, and began squeezing it as hard as she could to fight off the tears threatening to fall from her face when suddenly her right side cardboard box began to compress, and come apart. She quickly placed her pillow back underneath the blankets, and ran outside to see what was going on only to bump into a Pumpkin Class not native to their Netherworld. The Pumpkin snickered menacingly before shoving her away from his field of vision, but not before she saw a Zombie Class as the one stomping on her box. She looked to the left, and saw a Marionette who was about to do the same to the other side.

"C-cut that out! Get out of my yard!" Milky protested

"Well...would you look at that gang? See I told you there was a thief here, now then you can go now" the Pumpkin class said with a grin as he puffed his smoke.

"Stop wrecking my house!" Milky complained

"Hurr-hurr-hurr, did y-all hear that? Sounds like one of them partay poopers" the Zombie groaned

"Sssss~ I-I never t-touched a T-thief before...such pretty eyes~ come here little one...I have some candiesssss~" the Marionette moaned with a sharp raspy voice.

"Ah! Be sure not to wreck it too much, there's bound to be something worth taking in there" the Pumpkin ordered

"Aw~ me like to smash" the Zombie groaned

"Take all you wantsss~ I want the T-thie~f...want to be my d-dolly?" the Marionette asked in a freaky rasp

"G-get away from me f-freaks! And steal your own stuff!"Milky stammered nervously

"Steal? Oh no, no, no, no, no...no we're pillaging there's a difference, maybe you ought to steal a brain, or something." the Pumpkin mocked

"B-brain! Hurr-hurr-hurr good one boss man, sir!" the Zombie stupidly laughed

"I thinksss~ you're perfect the way you are...like a doll" the marionette said with it's usual rasp

"You better stop, or I'll-" Milky began

"Or you'll what? I don't know if you've noticed, but you're a measly level five, and we're all twice as strong as you! Why don't you take this chance of mercy I'm giving you, and get lost!" the Pumpkin said

The zombie completely tore open the box, and began reaching into it snatching whatever it's un-dead fingers could grab.

"My stuf-" Milky was saying when the Marionette suddenly glomped on her from behind, and began breathing heavily on her ear causing her major uncomfortable feelings of disgust.

"Pretty, pretty doll" the Marionette chimed

"Now Patches you be careful now, you don't want to break!...Anything" the Pumpkin warned

At this point the Zombie jumped into the hole it made, and began crawling underneath leaving filth, and rotting skin everywhere.

"You'll have to excuse Howlwitzer over there, he tends to leave more than he takes." the Pumpkin said

"Y-you guys better watch out! I know a Trickster, and when she comes back she's gonna wreck you guys something fierce-eek! S-stop breathing on me!" Milky shouted

"A Trickster you say? Good heavens that is a problem...wait, wait! Can you hear that...no? I can...it's the sound of no one caring! Keep at it Howlwitzer!" the Pumpkin ordered

"Hey boss! Look! This is so fuzzy!" Howlwitzer called out

"W-what! ?" Milky gasped

Howlwitzer stood up ripping open more of the cardboard boxes clutching at Milky's pink cat pillow, the Zombie hands already beginning to stain it.

"Let go of that! You don't need it, it's not worth anything!" Milky shouted in a frenzy

"Oh? Do you think I'm stupid, or something?" the Pumpkin said

"Completely!" Milky exclaimed

"Well I'll show you just how stupid Jackinson" he pointed at himself "is"! Pass it over here, there's obviously something valuable inside..." Jackinson proclaimed as he began twirling a knife appearing almost form nowhere.

"No~! You can't!" Milky exclaimed

"This knife begs to differ." Jackinson said

Milky struggled to free herself, but Patches had a firm vice grip as it began to day dream of doll like activities with Milky. Feeling helpless she averted her eyes from the scene, and focused primarily on the moving shrubbery that housed small woodland creatures when she, and everybody else heard a commotion coming from a corner of the forest, and getting louder. It was enough for Jackinson to pause for the moment to listen in, and as it got louder it was apparent that it was a mixture of both nagging, and arguing at the same time followed by occasional shrieks of fright, and surprise. After a few seconds more a visual now confirmed the voices to be own by Walker, Elfie, Berry Melon, and Firefly who once again where going through their constant, but friendly arguments.

"Look at yourself, you've dragged me all the way here for some paranoid fear of getting robbed! Don't you think I would wake up to a burglar sneaking around my Guild?" Walker argued

"No!" Berry Melon exclaimed.

"And she knows from experience" Elfie added.

"What's that suppose to mean?" Walker asked.

"Oh, nothing~ if you don't know there's no reason to explain" Elfie said.

"That would make a good reason in fact!" Walker angrily retorted.

"Eek! What was that! Ah! There's something on the right! Oh no! A spider! Waah~ this is scary!" Firefly argued.

I lead you all the way here, now can you let go of me now so I can count our winnings!" Walker practically ordered

"We need to make sure this is the right way!" Berry Melon argued

"This is the right way! I followed the tracks she's left, they are not hard to spot ya know!" Walker assured

"You're the one who brought all this upon yourself" Elfie reminded

"I-I think you're just blowing this whole thing out of proport-" Walker was saying until he spotted the scene before him, as did the rest of the team.

The three pillagers stared blankly at the four Guild members who also stared blankly, and then they saw Milky in what appeared to be caught in a full nelson by a marionette.

"This doesn't concern you, you'd do well to go" Jackinson said.

"Fair enough, let's go then" Walker dully said without a single care.

"Walker wait! What about Milky! She looks like she's in some sort of trouble!" Berry Melon exclaimed.

"And this is our fight how exactly?" Walker asked.

"Because...well...we've known her for so...short..." Elfie poorly attempted to explain.

"See? Not our fight, let's-" Walker began to say.

"You have to help! They're pillaging my stuff!" Milky cried out.

"Pillaging? Now you three know that ain't what you're respected classes are suppose to do right?" Walker said.

"Perhaps, but if we can make a little more HL doing so, why not?" Jackinson said.

"Still, pillaging from a thief? I don't know, you could do better than that" Walker figured.

"Oh stuff it you low class garbage!" Jackinson said.

"...*Sigh* and now he's made this personal...alright let's the boy-" Walker began.

"Girl!" Milky corrected.

"Boy" Walker ignored "go, and we while your at it git! This isn't your Netherworld" Walker said.

"Make me!" Jackinson said.

"Heh-you're gonna wish you didn't say that cabbage patch kid" Walker mocked.

"Are you blind I'm a pumpkin!" Jackinson exclaimed.

"I'm sorry all I can hear coming from your mouth is 'please don't beat me Walker', 'getting owned by you would really suck Walker', 'please spare me Walker'!" Walker mocked.

"I don't believe this...are you seriously defending that brat! You don't even know her!" Jackinson proclaimed

"True, but if it pisses you off, then yeah I am defending Milky, speaking of...hey! That sack wasn't full of marshmallows ya know, you could have given me a black eye with that thing!" Walker called out

"*Giggle* I-I'm sorry it's just-*giggle* it was an old prank-*giggle*, and it was kind of funny" Milky explained though the uncontrollable fits of giggle she had from sudden relief made it difficult to speak clearly.

"Heh, yeah I guess it was funny, I was told you didn't like what I said earlier, so I guess we're even. Come on over here, and help me take out the trash!" Walker called out.

Feeling new hope, and vigor building inside her short body she struggled harder than ever until managing to pull her head far enough for a stunning headbutt directly on it's creepy smiling face. Patches released her to rub his stinging face, and soon Milky was beside Walker, and the gang.

"So~ what's the gimmick with your little clique...hm~ a useless doll broken mentally, and physically" Walker began

"It'sss~ not true~ I have nothing insss~ide to break!" Patches said

"The slow dimwitted, strongman of the bunch with the bad odor, and speech impediment" Walker continued

"Me want you to take back those words hurr-hurr-hurr~" Howlwitzer moaned

"Alright, I will, you're not a strongman" Walker said.

"Thanks!" Howlwitzer said

"And then there's the confused, asexually reproducing, low self-esteem, smoking, bad mannered, rotten, face distorted, seed chucking, momma's boy, talking plant leader of the group." Walker concluded

"...Hate...kill...destroy...no survivors..." Jackinson muttered darkly

"That's what I like to hear, keep that up, and maybe someday it'll come true even in your dreams!" Walker mocked yet again.

"You keep talking, but let's see you fighting! I don't know if you've noticed, but we're twice as strong as everyone in your group!" Jackinson once again reminded.

"I don't know if you've noticed, but we outnumber you so there!" Walker said.

"Hey~" Howlwizter finally understanding what Walker said.

"Battle Start!" Jackinson roared

The trio of baddies moved back just behind Milky's house forming a horizontal line of three while Walker stayed in front, and motion Elfie, and Berry Melon behind him on each side, then Firefly, and Milky behind Elfie, and Berry Melon. Soon after the field flashed white, and squares forming a grid began to appear underneath their feet, but of course this was expected as everyone soon went into their fighting positions...all except Firefly who was in a fetal position, and crying to herself in sudden fear.

_End of Chapter_

_Just need to make some tweeks, but expect old characters returning, and new one eventually entering because I'm gonna combine all the elements of Disgaea one through four starting with the classes themselves. And thanks for the support, and for reading this!_


	4. Chapter 4

_Chapter 4: To Recruit, or not Recruit_

_Hm~...a viable reason for the monster gang to be in their Netherworld pertaining to a big plot? Don't worry I have it all set out, and planned!_

_Elfie: "No he doesn't, he has no clue."_

_Damn it Elfie! Okay I'll think of something, but for now let's get the cast together first. Enjoy!_

Battle Start! Milky's cardboard house front yard

"Firefly! Assume the position...the battle position I mean, not the fetal one you're doing now" Walker urged.

"F-f-f-fighting! I-I-I just left my h-h-house!" Firefly stammered.

"This is just one of my many steps in my step program I have prepared for you" Elfie assured.

"How much is many?" Milky asked.

"How many zeros are there in an Nonillion?" Elfie suddenly asked.

"What she needs is to feel confident in herself again! I bet if she leveled up she'll come around" Berry Melon exclaimed.

"I could have said that better myself" Elfie concurred.

"I had already planned for that from the beginning you know besides...Milky don't you have something to fight with?" Walker asked.

"Yup, I snatched this a while back, but never had a use for it" Milky explained as she equipped a Defense Gun from what seemed to be out of nowhere.

"That looks like a replica of a real gun, but better than mine...suppose we trade?" Walker asked.

"We're not allowed to trade weapons during a battle...right?" Elfie figured.

"Today losers!" Jackinson called out.

"Ever heard of strategy cowpoke!" Walker retaliated.

"Cow-what?" Jackinson muttered.

"Okay here's the plan, that Marionette has the least amount of health so obviously he's the perfect target for an ambush attack. Milky, myself, and Firefly will attack it at once, but the most important part, and this is crucial is for Firefly to have the killing blow. If the plan works she'll level up three, or more fold, and Elfie I want you to heal her at that moment while Berry Melon you just chill in the meantime, I don't want you getting too close to them just yet." Walker explained.

"I wanted to kill him...but maybe it's for the best" Milky said.

"I can't! I can't! I just g-got out-" Firefly cried out.

"-Of prison!" Berry Melon badly joked.

"-Of pri-darn it you beat me to it" Elfie pouted.

"...Yes you can Firefly I've seen your special list, and that Blade Rush of yours will just barely reach him considering how far you can move. Now let's get this debacle into motion!" Walker exclaimed

Walker moved forward, and sideways to a square four squares away from Patches while Milky moved one square behind Walker, and five squares away from Patches. Firefly reluctantly moved two square ahead of Walker with her sword dragging the through the dirt, and was two squares away from Patches. They set the attack pattern with Milky attacking first, followed by Walker with both using normal attacks, and Milky attack last with Blade Rush. Elfie moved to the square next to Walker's left hand side with Berry Melon moving to the square next to Elfie's left hand side. Though her fire spell could not reach it would still take the enemies at least two turns to reach her.

"Execute!" Walker ordered.

Milky shot first doing quarter damage despite her superior gun, Walker shot next, and did a little better thanks to the combo reducing Patches health to just less than half.

"B-B-Blade R-Rush!" Firefly stammered un-heroically

She position her sword to thrust, and in a blink of an eye she propelled herself forward stopping just in front of Patches, and back-flipping to her previous square.

Her attack was critical, and with the added combo, it was more than enough to take Patches out.

"D-didn't see that one coming...literally-hehehe-*dead*" Patches gasped before turning into an orb of life, and vanishing without a trace.

"I...I d-did it...I did it!" Firefly squealed while looking at her new level four status

"Um...we did it, and don't celebrate just yet, we're not done with our turn. Elfie go heal Firefly of her new health, Berry Melon since you're not doing anything go switch to defend, and execute!" Walker ordered

"Heal!" Elfie cried out with little enthusiasm preferring rather to spit at people for her own secret reasons.

Elfie performed heal, a small circle formed underneath her, and Firefly was surrounded by two spiraling orbs of light with shining tails, Her body was encased in tiny stars, and glitter, which ended with her health becoming full again. Berry Melon did nothing, but a yellow box with a D in it suddenly popped out from nowhere on top of her signaling everyone that she was in a defensive mode.

"...That about does it then, I end our turn!" Walker cried out

"Duh~ boss, what do we do...Patches..." Howlwitzer dumbly moaned

"Sucks to be Patches...oh well, two can play it that game, Howlwitzer my good man move all your four squares straight, until you're one square away from the mage." Jackinson ordered

"Oh I get boss! You want me there, and then you will move ahead of me, and, and we'll do that thing we do when we attack twice, guhaha~" Howlwitzer groaned

"No moron, they'll just heal the brat, we're just gonna play it nice, and slow~" Jackinson muttered

"Duh~ right boss" Howlwitzer stupidly agreed.

Howlwitzer did indeed move four squares with Berry Melon diagonally to his left hand side, and went into Defend. Jackinson moved four squares stopping to Howlwitzer's right hand side, and also went into Defend.

"*Inhale*-what's up?-*exhale*" Jackinson asked Walker as he smoked his cigar...thing, and blew smoke in front of Walker for no reason.

"Aren't you basically a straw scarecrow with a pumpkin head? Aren't you afraid of catching yourself on fire?" Walker asked

"I end my turn...dipstick" Jackinson called out

"W-Walker~ I can smell them again~" Berry Melon whined

"I hear ya, go back a couple spaces, but only towards a place where you can still hit that Zombie with fire, Milky you'll attack it next, hit it with a Tri-Burst from as far as you can. Elfie, Firefly, and I will handle the talking rot next to it." Walker instructed

The team nodded, and moved to their respective squares, Milky was four squares away from Howlwitzer's right side, Elfie was three squares diagonally from Jackinson with a bow ready, Walker was four squares away from Jackinson's right hand side, Firefly was also in the same direction, but one square away from Jackinson, and Berry Melon was two squares away from Howlwitzer. They eached prepared an attack, or special, and of course with Walker's Evility he made it so Firefly would once again strike after him during their line of attacks.

"We can't do much else from here on out, so just don't miss ladies, and guy, end turn!" Walker exclaimed

"Fire for the Fire God!" Berry Melon shouted with a vengeance.

She started things off with a fire spell which did adequate damage, but to a high HP monster like a Zombie, and adding the fact that he was in Defend, it did just less than one fourth damage much to everyone's surprise.

"Tri-Burst!" Milky shouted

Performing her attack, and expecting big points she was disappointed when her attack wasn't even enough to bring Howlwitzer to half. Elfie attacked next hitting Jackinson for low damage from her bow, one fifth was deducted from Jackinson's health.

"Tri-Burst!" Walker shouted

Performing the special Walker dropped Jackinson's health just above the halfway point, and feeling like a total wuss for not doing better.

"B-Blade Rush!" Firefly shouted with zero confidence

Her special now buffed up with both a combo, and a critical was the most impressive attack of the fight so far striking both Howlwitzer, and Jackinson leaving them with a quarter of their health. With their turn ending somewhat successfully it was now the enemy's turn to move.

"I hurt in places where it shouldn't boss" Howlwitzer complained

"Just shut up, and do as I say, go move besides the Mage" Jackinson ordered.

It took Howlwitzer all he could to get there, but he did, and just stood there while Jackinson moved several spaces, and stopping directly in front of her.

"...Crud..." Berry Melon squeaked.

"Your job is simple slow one just use Zombie Puke while I use a special of my own." Jackinson ordered.

"Boss?" Howlwitzer replied.

"What?" Jackinson asked.

"Why we stop attacking once, then they hit us next time?" Howlwitzer asked.

"I don't understand speak more intellectually" Jackinson ordered

"Why we stop hitting them? Why not keep going when turn is over?" Howlwitzer asked

"...See it's questions like those which make you the stupid one. You have your order just do it" Jackinson said.

"Right!" Howlwitzer stupidly agreed.

"Execute!" Jackinson exclaimed

"Zombie Puke!" Howlwitzer groaned

Howlwitzer pulled his head back, and began gurgling, his mouth began to stretch several inches appearing almost like a miniature barrel. He took aim, and fired a slimy ball of green goop at Berry Melon, and even though it only Nicked her it still dropped her health by a quarter.

"Jackknife!" Jackinson cried out

Jackinson leaped into the air jumping higher than necessary, and would have dove headfirst if he didn't extend his arm propelling a sharp knife in it's hand. He spun rapidly, and nailed Berry Melon square on her melon, and spun with such velocity that a red glow, and wide pulse shot out from his body, and once his spin came to a halt he jumped back into his square leaving Berry Melon just barely alive.

"H-Hah take that! I'm still alive~" Berry Melon groaned

"Oh yeah? Not for long, look up" Jackinson assured.

Berry Melon did, and was horrified to find purple bubbles coming out of her indicating that she had been poisoned.

"By the looks of it, once the poison hits her at your turn it's all over." Jackinson mockingly said

"...*Giggle~*...I guess this is it...sorry bro" Berry Melon cheerfully said

"Berry Melon..." Walker muttered

"End Turn!" Jackinson cried out

"Walker!-*Dead*" Berry Melon shouted in a panic before the poison dropped her health to zero, and she vanished in a bright orb like all the others to fall.

"No! Sis...damn, damn, damn!" Walker shouted

"Not again~!" Firefly wailed.

"I'm so sorry Berry Melon..." Elfie muttered

"I-It's gonna be alright...right?" Milky weakly assured

"No it...it won't...she's gone, a-and now..." Walker gasped

"Walker..." Elfie said

"Now it's gonna cost me even more just to revive her at the clinic!" Walker shouted in frustration.

"I know it will, but we need to be strong" Elfie cried out emotionally.

"I know what you're getting at, but nothings gonna change the fact that I'm gonna have to sink into my wallet, and bring her back! I wanted to use that to buy new weapons for us." Walker explained

"You're tearing my heart Walker! I didn't think losing so much HL would cause such a rift between our family!" Elfie went on dramatically.

"Eh~...what?" Milky awkwardly said

"I-I-I knew I wasn't r-r-ready, but I didn't l-l-listen!" Firefly stammered.

Walker chose to ignore Elfie's sudden outburst, and focused his attention back to his enemies.

"You...I'm gonna make you pay for what you've done! This next one is for my HL savings!" Walker roared.

"Uh~...what?" Jackinson replied

"Here's the plan, since neither of them is on Defend our attacks should do more damage than before, though I'm pretty sure we don't need to worry about who should attack who. However I'm still gonna issue the commands...Elfie you'll attack the Zombie, and Firefly you'll add to that with a wind spell since he's weak against it for some reason. I'll shoot Jackinson with a special, and Milky will do the same after me if it's not enough." Walker ordered.

"Got it" Elfie assured

"O-okay..."Firefly nervously replied

"No problem!" Milky exclaimed with confidence.

Elfie position herself two squares diagonally away from Howlwitzer on his right while Firefly did the same only to his left. Walker moved three squares in front of Jackinson while Milky was behind Walker, and four squares away from Jackinson, everyone all ready to attack with their instructed attack.

"End Turn!" Walker shouted

Elfie attack with her bow leaving Howlwitzer in critical conditions.

"W-Wind!" Firefly exclaimed in a panic.

A green glowing circled formed around her Firefly, and then a small electrically charged twister swirled around Howlwitzer appearing only briefly, and then dissipating.

"Zero...Uh-oh-*dead*" Howlwitzer uttered before disappearing in a orb of light.

"Tri-Burst!" Walker shouted.

His special was all it took to end Jackinson, and the battle ended in another victory.

"How? Don't tell me...Mary-sues?" Jackinson weakly muttered.

"This again...look I don't know what a Mary-Sue is, and I don't know why that irks me, but I'll take it as an insult. How are you even talking just go poof into light you rotten fruit" Walker defiantly said.

"How did you get to our Netherworld?" Elfie asked.

"She's serious? Really is she serious? The public Dimensional gate, we just went wherever that gate took us like a lot of demons here" Jackinson said.

"But why did you try to pillage my house?" Milky angrily demanded to know.

"A thief's hideout has many treasures, we would have plundered any thief's place-what? you think you were special, or something?" Jackinson said.

"Regardless we beat you, now git like all the others" Walker said.

"Oh I'll 'git', but this is only a see you later kind of farewell. My gang will bring me back, and you wouldn't like us when we-*dead*" Jackinson's last words were until he too vanished.

"We won, but at what cost..." Elfie said.

"I'm so sorry..." Walker murmured while holding his wallet.

"W-w-what's that on the f-floor?" Firefly asked in horror.

Walker walked up to it to find a sack of HL, but not much considering how much it weighed.

"It's not compensation, but I'll take what I can get." Walker said

Milky slowly walked towards the mess of cardboard, and shiny junk that used to be her home. Her stolen goods caked in either mud, or zombie sweat. She walked towards he prized pillow, it was unscathed, though a tad dirty, but instead of the familiar scent of her old teacher, it reeked of rotten flesh.

"...I-it stinks~" Milky whimpered

"Aw~ don't worry we'll wash, and it'll be smelling like roses in no time" Elfie assured

"That's not it...it used to smell like my teacher, a-and now I can never get that scent back" Milky continued to whimper.

"Besides that, what about your house it's a wreck, and I'm pretty sure in this damp forest you're not gonna be sleeping cozy, and dry tonight." Walker said

Milky didn't say anything.

"Come on team, let's bring Berry Melon back" Walker ordered

The team with their business done left the clearing, and Milky, but Walker paused briefly to turn around.

"Hey Milky you coming, or what?" Walker impatiently asked

"H-huh?" Milky called out

"I've been giving it some thought, and you did pretty good back there so if you're not doing anything, and I know you aren't why don't you join our Guild? I could always use another man around here" Walker called out

"B-but I'm a girl..." Milky weakly muttered

"Was that a yes, or a no?" Walker unable to hear from afar asked

"Walker, she's a thief, what if she tries to steal something from us?" Elfie whispered

"Then at least we'll know where she's staying. A room in our Guild would make an easier trip than a walk through the forest." Walker explained.

"S-so I can live with you guys? You're not gonna set up a tent outside for me?" Milky shyly asked

"Tent? It would be much cheaper to just have you use one of our extra rooms than to buy a tent" Walker explained

"Eek~!" Firefly shouted as a wild squirrel was spotted.

"...Well, I don't know you guys are a little too...ah! Wait come back, I'll join, I'll join!" Milky called out running as the group had already began to walk away.

"Hopefully the clinic will be open still" Elfie said

"We'll make it no problem" Walker said

"So~ what's new with you guys?" Milky asked as she stored her pillow into her inventory.

"You firstly, and with that we got a good number of members, but we need to be bigger" Walker said

"How big are we talking about?" Elfie asked

"As big as possible, I want our Guild to expand all the layers of the Netherworld" Walker explained

"E-e-e-even t-t-the-" Firefly stammered

"We'll leave the Land of Carnage alone, but basically that's our my main goal besides surviving of course" Walker said

"That's gonna take forever!" Milky complained

"Hey Firefly you were pretty high up how long did it take you?" Walker asked

"I-I suppose a-a year, or so give or take" Firefly responded

"Maybe with the help of more demons we could speed things along perhaps?" Elfie suggested

"I don't know...money is kind of tight as it is feeding three of us, and now there's two more? My gut tells me we should wait a sec before jumping the bandwagon" Walker said

"Is that how you feel?" Elfie asked

"No, I want our discussion room to be full of strong demons! I'm just thinking economical like, like my traitor of a former friend Gunslinger explained to me once" Walker said

"You really think we can become powerful?" Milky asked feeling touched

"Sure we could! We'll show everyone we're not the bottom of the barrel little guy" Walker assured

"Girl..." Milky reminded

"You really need to see a counselor about that" Walter proposed

"Yes, please stop by my room,-*giggle*- I'll take good care of you~" Elfie said

"Eh~...that's okay..."Milky awkwardly passed

"Oh shoot, well we still need sessions Firefly, my office hours is usually from open at dusk till dawn" Elfie said

"I-I really appreciate your h-h-help" Firefly weakly thanked

"You know I can't pay you for your so called sessions" Walker reminded

"they have their own reward..." Elfie said

"What the hell are you-" Walker began

"Studying different paranoia like Firefly's will make future sessions with different clients much easier because I would have a higher understanding" Elfie honestly answered.

"I see...so does that mean you'll end up leaving us?" Walker asked

"No! I'm loyal only to the Guild plus with so many different demons it will be a Mesopotamia of personalities, and issues!" Elfie explained

"Aw~ crap speaking of issues..." Walker groaned as he spotted a familiar face from a side of the forest.

A Blue Skull was slouching around the bushes, and trees looking intently at the ground beneath his feet sighing, and sulking to himself. He murmured to himself probably about something depressing that may have recently happened, and then he looked up to see Walker, and his group. His expression hardly changed, though his frown did twitch for split second of course that could have been a different reason entirely.

"You know...it's not really considered a walk of anguish if you bring a group of pretty girls with you..." Lloyd muttered in despair.

"Oh it's you, I see you haven't changed since the last...hour, or so I met you, and it's not a walk of anguish" Walker said.

"A-a-anguish?" Firefly asked herself

"A walk of it?" Milky added

"Pretty girl" Elfie repeated for herself.

"If you're not here to escape from the vise grip of reality, then why are you here?" Lloyd dully asked

"A little of this, a little of that you know how it is" Walker poorly answered

"I see...is this part of your bad luck of being poor workers too?" Lloyd asked

"More, or less though things are going to get worse before they get better" Walker said

"The better part never appeared for me..." Lloyd glumly responded

"You know I've enjoyed our man to man talk, but right now I need to visit the clinic, and bring back Berry Melon" Walker explained

"The one that was screaming in my house?" Lloyd asked

"Yeah that one" Walker answered

"I see this is one of your worst parts of your job you mentioned" Lloyd said

"Yeah, I needed that money to buy everyone some decent gear" Walker said

"More hardship coming our way, it seems like your strong enough to overcome though" Lloyd said

"Well I-" Walker began

"You were actually pretty depressed about losing the HL before we met you" Milky said after Elfie was done whispering something to her.

"Don't think I didn't see you trying to sneak a few words Elfie I know you would have said that" Walker quickly accused

"Oh Walker you know me so well already" Elfie admitted

"D-d-do we have to stay here...i-i-in the forest" Firefly stammered nervously

"I suppose if it got dark it'll be hard to see where we're going" Walker figured

"It's not a problem for me...my eyes adjusted so well into the night that I practically have night-vision...*sigh* it doesn't change how cold everything, and everyone is" Lloyd said

"I'm pretty sure that's because you're a Blue Skull. Well we're gonna keep walking now, so..." Walker said as he motion his team to keep going.

"Yeah I suppose I made things depressingly awkward, and you would want to go away~ maybe a going away poem before you go?" Lloyd asked

"*Sigh* why not" Walker groaned, but accepted nonetheless.

"Loved ones gone, abandoning you~

How could I have been such a fool~

The hands turn on, and on in a clock

A full basket of clothes missing one sock" Lloyd glumly spoke

There was a slow awkward applause fueled purely by sympathy.

"Another half ass poem, but I suppose I can't do any better" Walker half complimented

"And I couldn't ask for a more cruel compliment" Lloyd said

"Well...see ya" Walker said as he motion his team away from Lloyd.

"I suppose..." Lloyd glumly replied as he returned back to 'finding' himself watching the group leave him.

"So...another mental case?" Elfie asked

"I wouldn't say it like that, but yes complete mental case" Walker answered

"Me thinks he is the owner of that black house I had you guys investigate" Milky figured

"You thought right, If I were you I'd snatch his stuff while he's away" Walker said

"You have a point, you don't mind if I split with you guys for a sec?" Milky asked

"I don't care, we'll wait for you at the clinic just don't keep us waiting all day." Walker excused

Milky nodded, and made a sharp left turned towards Lloyd's house while the rest of the team scrambled their way out of the forest, eventually reaching the town itself. Exhausted, but determined they walked for several seconds until they came upon the clinic. The building itself was colored unnaturally white, cleaned, and well managed...on any other day, but the town party has left it riddled with stains, and oddly colored dirt. It's beds were all used by several demons who partied way too hard, and had everything from hangovers to broken limbs as well as food, and alcohol sickness. Despite that the nurse currently managing the public building was simply standing behind her counter waiting for the next patient to arrive to her. A dull, and inconspicuous door was seen behind her, it had no sign, no pattern, just a door.

"I guess the party's over then?" Walker figured

A quick look around showed a heavily littered single road town glowing in the bright orange of an afternoon sun with several demons still going at it. New memories, friendships, and rivals will be born today, but like all parties the events will not be remembered until the headaches vanish from the owner's head, and yet deep inside them whether the celebration was mostly good, or horribly bad one thing was certain. The party kicked ass, and it was totally worth it.

"I don't suppose you run this place do you?" Walker asked.

"Well I-" The Healer was saying.

"T-t-toga~*barf*" a Wood Golem in one of the beds groaned loudly just before puking into a nearby bucket.

"Yes I do my name is Matilda, and-*yawn* I'll be your nurse for...today..." Matilda dully introduced herself sounding utterly uninterested in Walker, and the group.

"Well you seem sanely put, I'd like to revive someone" Walker said.

"Sure I can do that..." Matilda assured as she slouched on her table.

There was a brief moment of silence.

"...Well are you gonna?" Walker impatiently asked

"*Sigh* alright...let me just grab the document..." Matilda said as she leaned to her left to open a drawer from behind her desk.

"So how does this work exactly, do I-" Walker began

"Don't worry-*yawn*-It's fairly simple, but I'll explain it the first time...I guess" Matilda dully said

"Well whoopie..." Walker sarcastically cheered

Matilda grabbed a seemingly dull yellowish folder which contained a piece of paper. Upon opening it the folder, the paper revealed a list of all the demons who have currently died in order of most recent to oldest though it's possible to magically change the organization to something easier to search with. The picture would be at the left hand side with the name of the person next to it. I a much larger city, and violent city there would be several documents holding numerous papers of countless demons, but in such a small town it's no wonder the nurse appeared bored.

"So~...who was it?" Matilda asked with a bored expression.

"That one" Walker said pointing at a small square photo of Berry Melon with a wide grin, and flashing a piece sign with both her hands. Right above her were the pictures of Howlwitzer with a stupid grin, and Jackinson with a menacing stare, and giving a very rude hand gesture.

"Alright I'll flash the price, and you just pay it, then please wait a second for me to bring her back" Matilda dully explained as if having to repeat herself for the thousandth time.

She motioned her finger around Berry Melon's picture, and the amount it would cost to bring her back started to shine next to her.

"*Sigh* alright that seems fair, here you go" Walker said in defeat while handing over the HL.

"Give me a second..." Matilda said

She snapped her fingers.

"Oomph!" A child-like grunt was heard from the door behind her.

Matilda pulled herself up her feet, and dragged herself to the door opening it to reveal Berry Melon rubbing her buttocks from the rough fall she apparently had.

"Sorry about that...it happens to everyone though the ones that keep coming back learn to land on their feet eventually." Matilda apologized

"You could at least put some pillows, or something on the floor" Berry Melon argued

"Procrastination is such a troll to us all" Matilda dully answered

"Hey guys did you miss me?" Berry Melon happily cried out

"I'll miss my HL" Walker muttered

"What! ?" Berry Melon exclaimed with puffed cheeks of pure rage.

"I said boy howdy did I ever miss you big sis!" Walker poorly acted

Berry Melon turned away from her insensitive brother, and focused her attention to the two smiling companions besides him.

"How long was I out?" Berry Melon asked

"Half an hour at most" Elfie answered

"Why did it take so long? Did you guys get lost?" Berry Melon complained

"We were...distracted by a sad poet we probably could have recruited if someone would have just invited" Elfie said looking directly at Walker

"I didn't know a poem was the new norm for wanting to join a Guild, I must of missed something" Walker sarcastically said

"S-s-shouldn't you be given them medicine, or something for these poor souls?" Firefly asked Matilda as she looked over the many sick demons

"I cure all ailments, HP, SP, and bring them back to life. The rest like food poisoning, hangovers, sickness, and bodily injury having nothing to do with battle must recover themselves. We're demons though, we can tough it out. Give them a day, or so in here, and they'll be ready to film themselves doing something stupid with shopping carts." Matilda explained

"I-I see..."Firefly awkwardly said

"I can't wait to get out of here, not because I hate my job mind you, I love my job, but this party isn't gonna last forever. I want to hit the dance floor..." Matilda complained

"I didn't think of you as a dancer" Walker said

"Us healers are trained in many ways to heal, and entertain, and basically be all around up-lifters so most of us have a basic skill in dancing to help." Elfie explained

"Yes...some like it more than others, myself included" Matilda added

"Did you know that I myself have a special dance I-" Elfie began

"No, no, no specific details we've been over this" Walker quickly interrupted

"Any particular reason why you're still here?" Matilda asked.

"We're waiting for one of us to get back, she doesn't know where our Guild headquarters is so we told her we'll meet her here when she gets back from her...task" Walker said

"That's awfully nice of you wild man" a weak, but familiar voice was heard from one of the beds.

Walker quickly turned around to the sound of the voice to see a Archer class he apparently had previous business with. She poked her head from under the white covers of her blanket.

"We've met before haven't we...just this morning right? I'm only asking since Archers look a like" Walker said

"Are you saying I'm not the only Archer who has called you a wild man before?" the Archer said

"Nope you're the first, but what the hell happen? You look like you've party way too hard." Walker teased

"How rude! I am far too sophisticated to partake in such a rowdy celebration, and you don't make a lady mad, you'll give her wrinkles. Fore every wrinkle I get I'll curse you a thousand fold...and I won't share my tea with you either." the Archer said

"Sorry, sorry didn't mean to get you upset...wait a minute...I'm apologizing, how did you make me do that?" Walker asked

"I bring the best in all demons with my rich etiquette, dignifying stance, courtly demeanor, and polished voice." The Archer self complimented

"I don't suppose that's normal for Archers is it?" Walker asked

"Some have more civility than others, but each of us have some basic understanding which make up for our...flaws" The Archer said

"What do these 'flaws' includ-" Walker began to ask

"My we've had such a long conversation yet we haven't even introduced ourselves yet-*giggle*! Well my name is Kimberly" The now named Archer quickly introduced

"Okay I see where this is going. Fine we'll play it your way, my name is Walker my comrades behind me are Berry Melon" Walker began to introduce

"Is your hair okay! ?" Berry Melon quickly asked

"A little ruffled from my recent accident, but I was assured it will make a full recovery" Kimberly happily assured

"Elfie" Walker continued

"What accident exactly?" Elfie asked

"I was returning home after purchasing some fresh tea leaves when I was suddenly bumped into by a ruffian Wood Golem wearing a man dress. What do they call those again...togas?" Kimberly explained

The Wood Golem was too unconscious to respond though he did murmur in his sleep.

"He collapsed on top of me, and when I woke up here I was, but don't worry my tea leaves are still in tact" Kimberly concluded

"-Our recent recruit Firefly" Walker added

"H-h-hello...s-sorry I get n-nervous with meeting n-new p-people" Firefly nervously stammered

"Dear you mustn't stutter when you speak especially when you are introducing yourself to someone of high class. It is uncouth in many cases, but I can see your not use to speaking so I'll excuse you this one time" Kimberly said

"S-sorry..." Firefly apologized nervously

"We also just recently recruited a thief by the name of Milky...strange boy that one is" Walker concluded

"Thief...boy? My I've never seen a male thief in these parts of the Netherworld" Kimberly said

"Yeah, we've seen some monsters outside our Netherworld just recently, but I guess they'll let anyone in those public dimensional gates these days" Walker added.

"I concur, but I am not one to ostracize demons who wish to travel someplace else. So long as they don't cause me any trouble" Kimberly said

"You, and me both" Walker agreed

"Matilda there's something weird about your list" Elfie called out

"Oh that brown spot is merely a coffee stain from this morning" Matilda dully explained

"I see, but that's not what I wanted to mention, it's about the patient at the very bottom of this list" Elfie said.

Elfie pointed at a piece of the paper that was unlike the white clean top portion with the single coffee stain. The last patient had a rectangular yellow hue, and felt rough to the touch, and seemingly ancient.

"I guess I could explain...see when we have the dead marked on a list we keep until someone comes, and revives them. It is not uncommon to find an old piece of parchment as the one you see there, but it's only found in the oldest of cities. That one particular case was here before I opened shop a long time ago, before this town was given a name even. I merely fused her to that piece of paper using magic. Of course magic is so convenient, I use it to add, and remove entries, but I've only had to use one piece of paper during my entire career. There's no telling how long that patient has been waiting to be revived, it's possible that whoever was responsible simply forgot about her, and just left her here. The name is worn out, but as you can see from the picture she is a Shaman so I suppose that's part of the reason she's been abandoned" Matilda explained.

"Why's that?" Berry Melon asked

"Shamans are nothing, but trouble to whoever they are loyal with. They believe curses, hexes, and enchanting are good for their leader, and bad for their enemies. Not only that, but they are notorious pranksters, doing bad things for the sake of being bad, and in some cases doing bad things to appease their manager." Elfie explained

"They are unwelcome even in the most violent districts of the Netherworld for their cursing. So after getting fired from their employer, or ran out of town from a mob they spend most of their free time hexing their former neighbors, and bosses rather than making amends. Next to thieves they are the least wanted in a household for their horrid chanting, and appalling voodoo they are apparently so fond of" Kimberly added.

"So she's been stuck there for a long time huh...hey Walker!" Berry Melon suddenly called out

"No" Walker bluntly said

"But why~" Berry Melon sadly moaned

"Tell me something Berry Melon...did anything of what Elfie, and Kimberly said about a sorcerer a positive thing? What gave you the hint that having someone like that on our team would be beneficial to have on our Guild?" Walker said

"Well-I...see I thought..." Berry Melon stammered

"I already risked having a Thief join us, and now you want the second worst thing to come with us as well?" Walker added

"If we just gave her some time she might actually be helpful! How much will it take to revive her?" Berry Melon quickly asked

"More than you" Matilda answered

"Exactly, unless you can come up with some extra HL right now there's no way I'll consider-" Walker began

"Hey guys sorry I'm late! I wanted to pawn the stuff I stole before I got here" Milky suddenly cried out as she jumped from the roof of the clinic, in front of everybody, and startling Firefly into yet another catatonic state.

"I'm still hesitant" Walker admitted

"About what?" Milky asked

"Berry Melon saw some sort of Shaman no one has revived, and she wants us to revive her with our HL" Walker explained

"I see...well I was gonna give you some of my earnings for saving me back there. So if you want-" Milky began

"Too late closing time anyone not in a bed must leave" Matilda quickly said before jumping over the counter, and running towards the nearest party house.

"So is she just gonna leave me like this! How rude!" Kimberly proclaimed

"She did seem so hell bent on partying" Elfie said

"Really?" Walker questioned

"It's part of being a Healer, we sound neutral most of the time whether happy, or sad." Elfie explained

"This won't do! I can't share a room with so many...boys!" Kimberly shyly complained

"I'm surprised you can tell the monster's gender like that...I'm always a bit puzzled, and disturbed considering some don't even wear clothes" Walker admitted

"Even the slimes?" Berry Melon asked

"That's debatable" Walker said

"I can't stay here, but I can't walk back to my house either, and there's no way I'm crawling! I will not degrade myself with such a action" Kimberly went on

"Well sorry to hear that, but our business is done here, let's go team" Walker said

"W-wait! Maybe you can help me" Kimberly said

"...I'm listening..." Walker said sensing another job opportunity.

"I don't have much, but I'll give you fifty HL if your team helps carry me to my house...and if it's not too much trouble tuck me in my bed as well." Kimberly explained

"Sounds easy enough Elfie, Firefly help her up, have her arm around your shoulders, you can move your feet right?" Walker asked

"Y-yes I can, just my back hurts mostly" Kimberly explained

After carefully standing her up Elfie placed Kimberly's left arm around her shoulder, while Firefly placed her right arm around her shoulder. They stayed like this as they began to walk, but Kimberly despite the kind gesture had some complaints she wanted to express.

"I don't suppose I can have those two shoulder me can I?" Kimberly asked as her face was being pressed by against Elfie's, and Firefly's chests.

"I suppose those two are a little too tall" Walker figured

"...Yes-o-of course that's it!" Kimberly quickly said hiding her feelings of being small between them.

After a quick switchover Berry Melon shouldered Kimberly's left arm while Milky shouldered her right arm.

"Much better, let's be off now" Kimberly allowed.

They began their trek with the light of the sun had just faded away, and the glow of the moon, and stars gave the town a tinted bluish glow. Lanterns adorned in colorful patterns glowed across both sides of the road as the party continued, and those remaining would not see the light of day...tomorrow because they will be too busy passed out in the floors of the their homes to see it.

"You do remember where I live do you?" Kimberly asked

"Who could miss the single brick house?" Walker dully said

"Well I never really had any intentions of making it out of brick, it was suppose to be modeled after a house I saw in a catalog of vintage Victorian decor, but... a sudden decrease in wood, and patience had the house turn out like this. I still love my little house, but there is always room for improvements." Kimberly said

"You mentioned before that you enjoy rare tea leaves, but how exactly do you afford them?" Walker asked as if wanting to know for a long time.

"Well I was given a hefty inheritance from an ancestor a while back, she's moved on of course, and as her only pupil, and close family at the time I was given her life savings. I chose this place because a small town would make the least amount of commotion...occasionally, but I've always wanted to live in a much higher class society, though in the Netherworld those are usually just populated by boasting demons who have just plundered the most than the majority." Kimberly said

"Uh-huh..." Walker mumbled trying his best to not look like he does not care.

"What product do you use for your hair?" Berry Melon curiously asked

"I'm afraid that's a secret, but if you come visit, I'll give you a dashing new hair style I know that works great with bows" Kimberly promised

"Can we keep her! ?" Berry Melon happily cried out

"Pardon?" Kimberly gasped

"Don't mind her she just trying to-hey I think I see your house over there" Walker quickly changed topics.

"Oh? We're here already? Funny I guess I spoke a little too much, I didn't get to learn a single thing about any of you" Kimberly said

"I might tell you too much" Elfie admitted

"I-I'm too...frightened of my past..." The traumatized Firefly uttered

"And I just became a Red Mage!" Berry Melon blurted out

"Come back when my Guild becomes legend, and I'll have a story, or two." Walker said

"I've snagged a couple of stories in my time...their not personally mine, but you get the idea." Milky said

"Well thanks again for the-" Kimberly was about to say

"Oh for crying out loud!" Walker exclaimed as he saw a familiar face coming their way.

"I take it that wasn't a happy greeting was it? Who am I kidding of course it's not..." Lloyd glumly said

"I also take it you two know each other?" Kimberly asked

"Unfortunately yes" Walker, and Lloyd both answered simultaneously

"Woah~ you guy are so in sync! It's almost as if you'll make a perfect team in some sort of Guild, or Guild like community of some kind!" Berry Melon hinted

"Haha-no!" Walker said

"I don't suppose you've told them my name have you...then again why should they care, it is of little concern after all..." Lloyd dully said

"*Sigh* fine, real quick-like his name is Lloyd, and as you can see he's constantly depressed." Walker introduced.

"I see...wait! Before we go any further to my house I would like Walker to switch places with Milky was it? No offense it's just...you know, being a thief, and all.

"Use to it..." Milky said already planning on sneaking in much later anyways.

"Yeah sure I'll switch with ya, the rest just stay here until we get back" Walker ordered

"I suppose I have frightened you with my constant dreadful appearances, but believe me, I'm not stalking you...fact of the matter is none of us are really worth that sort of idolization, depressing I know." Lloyd said

"We'll be back..." Walker awkwardly said after he, and Milky switched places, and Walker was now helping Berry Melon shoulder Kimberly.

"Did you know I've just finished writing another poem...It's about the glow of the moon, and no matter how beautifully it glows, the darkness horrifies it's good intentions...*ahem*." Lloyd began

"Oh glowing orb of wondrous light~

How hard you push the noble fight~

Yet here you are a speck in the night~

Your deeds misguided by such blight~" Lloyd spoke in such a sad tone.

He turned towards Walker's direction to hear his response only to see a shut door, apparently Walker had left to carry Kimberly to bed half way through his poem, and could not be bothered to stand still any second longer.

"Oh~" Lloyd gasped in angst.

"Well since Walker has introduced you to us, I feel it is only fair that I rate your performance with an honest critical review" Elfie said rather motionlessly.

"Why do I predict I will be crying in my sleep tonight..." Lloyd said to himself as Elfie was taking in a deep long breath for what could be quite a review.

At Kimberly's Bedroom

"So are we done here, or what? You're all tucked in, comfy bed, privacy, and what-not" Walker impatiently asked

"You should feel honored! You are the first boy to be allowed in my house, let alone my bedroom...eek! Y-you're in my bedroom! While I'm in my bedroom! And while I'm in my bed no less! And when it's night out even!" Kimberly suddenly began to cry out her face turning red

"Whoa there miss you're making me sound like some sort of sleaze ball here! Just give me the HL, and we'll keep right on going" Walker said

"Yes, right of course the HL...will it be okay if I payed for your serviced tomorrow afternoon?" Kimberly shyly asked.

"...Why?" Walker asked doing his very best to stay calm.

"Well after you told me about your Guild after you left this morning I gave it some thought during the entire day, and I came to the conclusion that you may be able to help me with a problem I've been having. I'll pay you for your services tonight, and for the job I'll give you tomorrow afternoon, and that is a lady's promise" Kimberly explained.

"I've never had a lady's promise given to me before, so you don't mind if I'm skeptical" Walker said.

"Don't be like that Walker, just look at her hair! That totally means she's legit!" Berry Melon defended.

"Well that doesn't really explain it, but thank you anyways...so Walker are you interested?" Kimberly asked

"Hm~...I haven't declined an offer, and I don't intend to do so now. You got a deal, we'll come back here tomorrow afternoon" Walker said.

"I'll have tea, and cake ready for you when you do" Kimberly happily assured.

"This is already gonna be our best job ever!" Berry Melon happily

"Now I must ask you to leave...it is very late, and I must wake up early to begin fixing my future bed hair in the morning." Kimberly said

"Good night!" Berry Melon cheered

"Night..." Walker mumbled

"Yes, pleasant dreams to you too" Kimberly called out as they shut the door behind her.

Walker, and Berry Melon left Kimberly's home while making sure to lock the door behind them.

"Which is how I feel it is equivalent to Parmesan cheese" Elfie apparently just finished ranting.

"Team, we're going let's move out" Walker said not wanting to know what the hell Elfie was talking about just now.

"Well I enjoyed our talk we should do this again sometime 'kay?" Elfie happily said to a very surprised, and possible devastated Lloyd who for some reason was unable to move from his standing spot.

"I guess we'll be seeing you then Lloyd...damn it why'd I go, and say a foolhardy thing like that." Walker muttered

The team walked away.

"I-is he gonna be okay?" Firefly asked

"He'll be fine, if all else at least he'll know where to go for counseling." Elfie said

"Really? Does he know, or did you spend your entire time mocking his half ass poem?" Walker asked

"The latter" Milky said

"Should have known" Walker said

"It'll be alright... if anything with your luck he'll come to us" Elfie said

"Don't jinx me" Walker said

"Do you really hate that guy?" Milky asked

"Not particularly no, but if he's not giving me a job, or looking for one, then why bother wasting my time with him?" Walker said

"So~ how long do you think it'll take for her to be in a deep sleep?" Milky asked

"Kimberly? Give her an hour, or so" Walker said

"Gotcha" Milky said.

"I still don't know why you don't ask them to join us..." Berry Melon mumbled.

"It's not an employer's job to look for candidates they are suppose to come to us" Walker explained.

"Yes, take Firefly for instance, she volunteered her services for the team, and so far has been very helpful. A step in the right direction thanks to my program" Elfie said

"Are you just showing off again?" Walker said

"It isn't showing off if it's the truth" Elfie said

"C-can we go home any faster please...i-it's really dark here" Firefly timidly asked

"Hang on I see our dirt trail a little further ahead. Make sure you make a note of that Firefly, and you too Milky, just follow the road, and you'll eventually make it to our Guild" Walker explained

"Okay!" Both Firefly, and Milky simultaneously said

"While walking through this path it is imperative that one must discuss random topics that are not related to the Guild" Elfie added

"No it isn-" Walker began

"Okay!" Both Firefly, and Milky simultaneously said

"That is not protocol it's just dumb coincidence is all!" Walker argued.

"It makes the trip faster, and fun I say!" Berry Melon said

"I-I could go for a faster, and fun t-trip" Firefly said as she glanced at her surroundings

"I can't wait to see what your Guild looks like! Am I really gonna have my own room?" Milky asked.

"Yes you will, empty, but yours." Walker answered.

"Do we have a anthem?" Elfie suddenly asked.

"What-no!" Walker exclaimed.

"*tsk-tsk* It's just not complete without an anthem" Elfie disapproved.

"You don't need an anthem for a guild! Lot's of organizations have no anthems" Walker explained.

"Only the ones no one cares about" Milky added

"...Crap, I can't argue with that...but who are we to make an anthem for our Guild?...I can't believe I'm actually agreeing to this" Walker groaned.

"W-w-what about that B-blue skull?" Firefly added

"Like we need something that will drive people away! For now we're doing fine without one, we'll discuss this later!" Walker said

"Oh by they way! Kimberly gave us a job tomorrow!" Berry Melon announced

"I was gonna ask you for a day off on that day too" Elfie said

"Why? What could you possibly be doing on your day off when you were previously a beggar?" Walker dully asked

"I'm a female, you're a male that alone should be enough of a reason for you not to ask" Elfie bluntly said

"Um~ no it isn't actually" Walker declared

"Fine I'll work, if only to repay you for your generosity" Elfie said in defeat.

"Hey it wasn't generosity, it was just obvious recruitment potential I saw in you that's all!" Walker quickly defended

"And here we go again~" Berry Melon moaned

"Suppose something were to happen to your stuff back at your house Firefly...you wouldn't miss any of it would you?" Milky suddenly asked

"...I-I have no personal treasures with me. Besides some clothing I should really-eek! W-what was that!" Firefly said, then shouted as she heard rustling from one of the bushes to the side.

"Relax it's probably just a critter, or something" Walker figured as the halted the team to let whatever creature was in that bush to come out, and cross the road.

He didn't have to wait long however when a Catsaber monster suddenly jumped from the bushes sniffing at the air, and ground until staring at the random demons before it.

"Aw~ it's so cute~!" Berry Melon squealed.

"*Mew-mew*!" The Catsaber meowed

"Any idea of what that critter just said?" Walker asked

"I think he wants to say hello" Milky figured

"You think? Aren't you the one with the cat gear?" Walker asked

"That doesn't mean I speak cat! You don't see me going *nya~* after every sentence do ya?" Milky quickly argued

"*Meow!*" The Catsaber continued

Translation: "Who dares disrupt my ceremony of a thousand souls?"

"...I think he wants us to pet it!" Berry Melon figured

"Me~ow!*

Translation: "You would all make decent virgin sacrifices!"

"Maybe i-it's scared of something?" Firefly added

"*Mew-meow*"

Translation: "Then again you are not fit to waste my time I must bring about the apocalypse alone!"

The lone Catsaber crossed the road with squeaky steps, and left the group.

"Bye bye kitty!" Berry Melon called out

"What a cute cat" Elfie commented

"Huh...didn't it look like it was wearing a costume?" Walker suddenly said

"No that's just how all cats in the Netherworld look like" Milky explained

"Really? I haven't seen one until now, but I could have sworn it looked like a-" Walker began

"It's just a regular cat monster, there are some that are surprisingly powerful, and can rival even Overlords" Milky explained

"Really? Those things can be as strong as overlords?" Walker asked

"Well I wouldn't say that exactly, but I heard legends" Milky said

"I still think your making it up" Walker said

"I'm a Thief Class, not a Fibber Class" Milky argued

"Elfie what can you tell me?" Walker asked

"I think it had adorable little paws" Elfie said

"...This is getting us nowhere, let's keep walking" Walker said taking the lead as they continued their trek.

"I-I'm still a little n-nervous about moving in somewhere suddenly..." Firefly admitted

"A little, or a lot?" Walker dully asked

"We can share my room if you want" Elfie invited

"Elfie you're really starting to make this awkward" Walker said

"I see...well then you could share your room with her" Elfie said

"Actually if it's alright, I'll just stay in my own-" Firefly was saying

"Would you quit putting me in situations I don't want to be in" Walker argued

"I hardly think you wouldn't want to" Elfie said

"Well be too busy earning cash, and realizing our life goals to think about anything else!" Walker explained

"Life goals?" Elfie suddenly questioned

Everyone now stared at Walker who suddenly felt ostracized for some reason.

"W-what? What is it?" Walker asked growing impatient.

"You have a life goal?" Milky asked almost teasingly

"Well yeah...why did you think I was doing all this for!...Of course it's only been two days, but still!" Walker said

"Life goal...as in a dream?" Elfie said

"I know they sound very similar, but let me assure you-" Walker began

"Walker has a dream! Walker has a dream!" Milky teased

"Damn it don't go acting like a kid! I need a man!" Walker argued

"D-d-dreams are dangerous t-they can get you killed!" Firefly warned

"I told you it's not like that! It's just a honest demon's ambition!" Walker explained

"Not for a Gunner I can tell you that much!" Berry Melon said

"Look I see our Headquarters let's not get talk about this again, ever!" Walker ordered

"Huh...maybe because it's so dark outside, but it doesn't look half bad" Milky noticed

"Thank you" Walker accepted

"Hang on my eyes have just adjusted to the dark, and it actually looks horrendous" Milky added

"...Should have seen that one coming, I really should have" Walker mumbled

"Can't wait for tomorrow! We've got a lot of demons to recruit" Berry Melon said

"You mean work for Kimberly, and not recruit unless it's necessary" Walker corrected

"But we have so many candidates" Berry Melon argued

"Are you going to say that about every demon we meet?" Walker asked

"But we don't even have enough for a full roster!" Berry Melon complained while waving her arms every which way.

"Don't you start a tantrum-o-ow!" Walker exclaimed as one of Berry Melons fist struck Walker.

"I want more friends! I want more friends!" Berry Melon argued

"Alright, alright! If I say I'll consider them would you shut up!" Walker surrendered

"Yes!" Berry Melon cried out instantly perking up.

"You're such a softy" Elfie said

"That better be your first lie Elfie" Walker warned

"Well we better go in now, it's getting rather chilly inside" Elfie said ignoring Walker.

"I don't like it when you don't answer Elfie..." Walker muttered

They went inside with Milky admitting to herself that it did look better on the inside.

"Well do this quick, the dining room/meeting room is on that double door, and the door next to it are the rooms we'll be staying." Walker quickly said

"Best tour ever" Milky dully said

"Sarcasm, hardy harr-harr" Walker dully said

"Well technically it is in my case. I've never had to share a house before, I'd usually just camp out somewhere" Milky explained

"Firefly, are you sure about this? I mean you have a house already" Walker asked

"I-I wouldn't want to be l-late for a meeting with you guys. S-so yes..." Firefly said.

"Well then let's show you to your rooms...well technically you can choose whichever room you want so long as it's not occupied, but take your pick." Walker said as he opened the double doors.

Walking among the many doors Milky chose a particular door next to Elfie, while Firefly chose a room on the opposite end of Berry Melon's.

"Now that that's all settle let's get some rest because tomorrow morning we're looking at another job ahead of us" Walker announced

"Good night everyone!" Berry Melon quickly said

"Yeah, g'night" Walker muttered

"Good morning" Elfie said

"Why?" Walker asked

"It's always morning somewhere" Elfie answered in a mysteriously dark tone.

"*Yawn~* good night" Milky said putting a lot of emphasis on her yawn for some reason.

"I-I hope I don't get nightmares t-t-tonight as well..." Firefly muttered

"Well good night to you too" Walker dully said

"Go to sleep everyone!" Berry Melon cried out

Without saying another word to each other they retreated to their rooms before they could get caught up in another long conversation. After quite a long day it was good to see that they were too far away from the town party to be disturbed by it though I'm sure the same can't be said about certain others currently residing in that town. After what seemed like an hour, and the light of the sun still not reaching the town, Milky suddenly woke herself up, and grabbed a satchel with her as she prepared to go out into town to take care of some unfinished business. She opened her door carefully so as not to disturb her roommates, but something moving to her right peaked her interest. Her eyes already adjusted to the dark she whispered loudly to the familiar face attempting to open a door.

"*Psst!* Berry Melon" Milky whispered

Berry Melon grabbed at her mouth to stifle a shriek, and relaxed when she realized it was only Milky.

"What are you doing walking about so late...and didn't Walker already take that room?" Milky asked

"Well...what are you doing awake so late too...and carrying a bag?" Berry Melon answered with a question.

The two girls stared at each other for a brief moment.

"...This meeting never happened" Milky suddenly whispered

"Agreed" Berry Melon whispered back.

After that was taken care of Milky left the building, and briskly jogged towards her destination hoping to return before anybody else woke up. After all she did spend quite a bit hiring Walker, and his group to spy on the inside of the houses, and she was determined to win back her HL, and make a little more in the process. Tomorrow promises to be another day, though it will be a bit awkward for Milky to return to a possible scene of a crime, she would have to do her best to hide it, and keep a good impression on her new employer. The party now almost entirely over with some small cliques of demons laughing amongst themselves as they recollected the better parts of their celebration.

_End of Chapter_

_Sorry for the late entry, there were some last minute script changes to be made, and when you have responsibilities, twenty four hours just aren't enough to write this. However I will try to bring these on time, and any help, or suggestions will be heard, appreciated, or even utilized. Thank you for your patience!_


	5. Chapter 5

_Chapter 5: Kimberly's Job, and a New Recruit_

_I wasn't really expecting such praise this early, I'm stoked!_

_Lloyd: "What's the point? You're just gonna wind up lifeless, and forgotten like a passing breeze..._

_Well that just made me want to go in a corner, and fell sad. Enjoy!_

At the Guild: Morning

Milky didn't get much sleep tonight, but this was nothing new in her life. She had spent countless nights stealing to survive mostly though to make a name for herself which she had to admit to herself that doing it at such a small town like this isn't the best place to start. To make matters worse her personal supply of stealing hands were running low, and she would have to purchase more from the nutcase who owns the item shop. She woke herself up, the window reflecting tendrils of light escaping from the cover of the leaves on the nearby trees yet it was enough to light her room with a natural yellow glow. She had to admit to herself that waking up to a room like this, and in a house no less felt much better than a cardboard box. She stretched her arms, and legs like any normal being would, washed the sleepy out of her eyes, and with her senses back into full demon force she could hear the soft patter of motion from behind the walls which she figured were her roommates/squad members also waking up from their mental alarms. Milky sat on her bed thinking of what she would, and should accomplish today, it helps her stay focus when the sudden urge to steal from her friends comes up, and she wishes to ignore those feelings in an attempt to make a good first impression.

"(First things first I should put the stolen goods in some safe place until I can make a few HL out of them. Second: buy more stealing hands from weirdo item guy, and third: convince Walker that I am a girl without stooping to drastic flashing measures...okay! Let's do this!" Milky thought to herself

She jogged toward the door, opened it, and jogged through the hallway throwing caution to the wind. The obvious result of this caused Milky to bump into someone, and fall to the floor. Oddly enough the crash itself wasn't painful at all, on the contrary it felt cushioned, and soft. She shook the dizziness from her eyes, and looked forward from her sitting position on the floor to see that it was Firefly she bumped into. She appeared uninjured from the collision, but she still clutched at her heart with a pained expression on her face which had a hint of terror. However once Firefly realized it was Milky, and not a monstrous abomination hell bent on decimating her body, absorbing her soul, and placing it on a pouch where numerous other tortured souls are trapped to spend the rest of eternity in she gave a deep sigh of relief.

"M-Milky y-y-you startled me." Firefly stuttered

"Startled is an understatement you look completely horrified, I'm sorry!" Milky corrected, and apologized.

"My, my such activity so early in the morning? I guess we won't be needing coffee today." Elfie suddenly spoke out as she came out of her room.

"Hey I still expect you to make some, try to be useful both in, and out of fights." Walker pitched in as he too came out of his room.

"Right away, if you'll excuse me." Elfie said showing herself out the door, and into the kitchen.

"So how did sleeping in a bed treat ya Milky?" Walker asked.

"Good, good-I'm a girl-I think I could get use to it, but my special pillow..." Milky said hiding a subliminal message in her sentence.

"...Well a good scrubbing would get that stink off your pillow, and since I'm feeling especially well today I'll even let you chose a scented fabric softener." Walker said.

"It still won't be the same-I'm female-I could never get 'her' smell into it." Milky said hiding yet another subliminal message in her sentence.

"You still weren't exactly specific about 'her' when we talked about it before." Walker said.

"Maybe I'll talk about it later..." Milky said.

"And you Firefly why are you sitting on the floor, and what the hell happened to you? Your face is pale, your pupils are tiny, and you seem pretty shaken up." Walker said.

"O-oh, I'm just recovering from a-a accident" Firefly weakly said.

"Accident?" Walker repeated.

"I bumped into her by accident, and I guess she didn't see that coming" Milky explained.

"*Sigh* well shake it off quickly Firefly, I'm gonna need you for another job today" Walker said.

Firefly nodded, and picked herself off the floor, and back into a standing position.

"Where's Berry Melon, is she already up?" Milky asked.

"Still asleep in my bed. I haven't told you this, but Berry Melon has a bad habit of sleep walking into my bed late at night. So long as I don't wake up from it, I don't mind, but I still feel like she needs some self control." Walker explained.

"Sleep walk? Well who am I to judge" Milky muttered.

"What was that?" Walker asked.

"Nothing, nothing-hey aren't you gonna wake her up?" Milky asked.

"That's another bad habit, she's a heavy sleeper, it takes a lot to wake her up" Walker explained.

"I-I sometimes get nightmares, and that makes it scary to fall asleep. I envy her a little..." Firefly said.

"While Elfie is making the coffee would you two mind helping me wake her up?" Walker asked, of course if they said no he would have ordered them to anyways.

"Sure" Milky said.

"O-okay" Firefly agreed.

They moved to Walker's room where Berry Melon was softly snoring in a fetal position facing the right hand side of the bed, and the blanket covering half her body. Still sleeping heavily she did not hear Walker, Milky, and Firefly casually walked toward the bed surrounding it on three sides.

"I'm open to suggestions" Walker told them.

"Hey! Wake up!" Milky cried out

Berry Melon was unresponsive.

"Were it so easy..." Walker said

"P-please wake up~" Firefly whispered as she gently shook Berry Melon. Alas it was not very effective.

"No, no you gotta do it with a little more force if you want anything out it, let me demonstrate." Walker said as he grabbed Berry Melon by the shoulders, and began to shake her vigorously.

"Berry Melon muttered something about an earthquake on birthday cake fields, but other than that she was still not waking up.

"We need to work together in this" Milky concluded

"Good idea, I'll shake her, Milky you shout, and Firefly you can grab a glass, fill it with water, and splash it on her face." Walker instructed

"D-don't you think that's overdoing it a bit?" Firefly said

"...This is the Netherworld, there's no such thing as 'overdoing' something." Walker reminded

"Well...O-okay, I'll be back." Firefly said in defeat.

Moments later Firefly returned with a small glass of water.

"Is it cold?" Walker asked

"Pretty sure it is" Firefly figured

"Alright on your mark Milky we'll get this over with. Don't worry if you get any water on me, just make sure the majority hits Berry Melon." Walker said

"Your acting so indifferent about all this." Milky said

"You get use to it, it's probably my fault she acts like this, but that's a story for a different time...like never" Walker said.

"Alright then one, two...three!" Milky cried out

In a three combination attack Firefly splashed possibly cold water on Berry Melon's face, Walker shook her even more vigorously, and Milky was crying out at the top of her lungs "Wake up, wake up!" Finally Berry Melon's head shot straight up wide awake smacking Walter's forehead who wasn't quick enough to dodge it in the process.

"Owie~" Berry Melon moaned rubbing the sore spot on her forehead.

"Walker~ that wasn't part of the plan" Milky scolded as if that was his idea from the start.

"Yeah I know!" Walker cried out in frustration.

"Do you guys need a moment?" Firefly timidly asked

Experiencing physical difficulties please stand by...Thank You

Walker, Berry Melon, Firefly, and Milky walked out of the room, and began heading towards the dining/debriefing room not saying much to each other.

"So~ what have you been up to?" Berry Melon awkwardly asked Milky.

"What are you talking about? You were there" Walker said.

"I had my home base destroyed, my cherished stolen goods ruined, my favorite pillow practically skunked, and I had a good night's rest after some...unfinished business, you?" Milky explained

"Well I was dead for most of it, got a job from a girl with pretty hair, and I believe I had enough of a cutie sleep to sustain my adorable levels at adequate efficiency." Berry Melon said

"The way you keep talking about her hair makes it seems as if you want it yourself" Walker said

"Well it would be nice, then again I'm a pretty lazy Mage...well a lot of Mages are lazy, but still I'm especially lazy." Berry Melon explained

"Good I don't need you to reincarnate again, and change your name too. I just memorized your new one." Walker said

"I can't wait to see her again today! Maybe she'll reward us with free hairstyles!" Berry Melon excitedly proclaimed

"There aren't many things a demon like her could do with my hair..." Firefly stated as she tugged a couple of strands of her own short tomboyish hair.

"We're not going over there for a free haircut, she gave us something to do, we do it, and get paid nothing more. Speaking of which we did make a bit of HL last night even if we lost some of it, I suppose I can split it with everyone during breakfast" Walker said.

"Yay~!" Berry Melon cheered

"Didn't I give you most of that HL?" Milky asked

"Yeah, at least now you'll know how it's going to be used." Walker said as they approached the dining room double doors.

Opening them revealed their long table with over half of it adorned with plates with an assortment of different hot foods waiting for each of them, empty glass next to each plate, two pitchers one containing apple juice, and the second containing orange were seen. Elfie was beside the table wearing an apron, and carrying a third pitcher with hot coffee inside, and a service plate on her other hand with several cups of no real significance.

"Did we take that long?" Walker asked impressed at the spread of food on the table.

"No, but I did learn how to cook during my healing teachings. Just like any demon Class we Healers are especially well trained in a variety of skills. Cooking is just one of several basics I learned" Elfie gloated.

Everyone shrugged not wanting to ask anymore questions while the food was still hot, and took a seat including Elfie herself, but only filling half the table.

"Looks like your gonna have a lot of work to do Walker washing all these dishes" Elfie commented

"Excuse me?" Walker dully asked

"Any chance you've baked us some dessert Elfie?" Berry Melon asked as she poured herself extra syrup on her pancakes.

"Unfortunately I lacked any actual ingredients to make a even a simple sponge cake, or corn cake for that matter" Elfie explained

"Wow this is my first home cooked meal in my entire Thief Class career! It's as delicious as all those T.V shows say it is~" Milky said in total bliss mode.

"I've always wanted to try out my culinary skills once I've learned them, too bad I ended up on the streets, and my talents wasted until now" Elfie said

"I feel, really...relaxed now" Firefly awkwardly said

"Just another one of my steps dear" Elfie assured

"You're just gonna say that every time Firefly feels good about something aren't you?" Walker asked

"Less talking, more eating" Elfie quickly said

The team remained silent as their focus went back into their plate, for several minutes they ate uninterrupted until the very last bits of food were left on their plates.

"So by splitting these up our HL count should be enough to get us absolutely nothing at the weapons, and armor shop" Walker glumly replied

"But with the money Kimberly promised us we will" Berry Melon assured

"Wait! I want to make a quick stop at the item shop" Milky suddenly declared

"Oh no~, Milky is it absolutely necessary, you know who runs that place right?" Walker asked

"Yeah I do, and it won't take long I promise! Just a couple of Stealing Hands, and I'm all set" Milky said

"*Sigh* fine we'll make a quick stop over there, then mission time, and then it will be time to get our hands on some new gear finally" Walker said

"What is it with you, and buying new toys?" Milky asked

"Well for starters, stronger weapons equal stronger team" Walker said

"We could do the same if we add to our numbers" Milky said

"Yeah, yeah, and it's cheaper too! We didn't have to pay a single HL to get you three to join" Berry Melon said

"Your welcome?" Firefly said

"At any rate let's finish up here so we can meet our client, if we finish early we could head over to the other shops." Walker said

After devouring their deliciously large meal knowing that there is a possibility that it could be their only meal for the day they cleared their plates with Elfie giving Walker a sympathetic pat on the shoulder after they were done.

"I'm not gonna do it" Walker muttered as they left their headquarters, and began walking along theur familiar path.

"I wonder if we'll see that Catsaber again?" Berry Melon suddenly wondered as she scanned the area for any signs of the little monster.

"It's probably wandering around looking for wild berries, or something" Walker figured

"That just makes me want to find it even more! Seeing it in the middle of it's snack time munching on a berry with a messy face! *Squeal*" Berry Melon cheerfully cried out.

"I-I'm afraid it's gonna bite me" Firefly nervously said

"Now that's just crazy talk, come to think of it...I haven't seen a mouth on that cat-thing last night. Maybe it was too dark to see?" Walker said

"Don't be ridiculous they have mouths, it's just well hidden" Elfie said

"See the more we talk about it, the more questions I have, let's just forget about it before I get a headache" Walker said

"So while I was dead I was putting some thought into what our anthem should be, and I think I have a pretty good jingle" Berry Melon said

"Out of one bad topic, and into another" Walker grunted

"Now here me out, I think you'll like what I've come up with." Berry Melon said

"Well I'm a pretty open person about these things, let's hear it" Elfie approved

"Okay!...*Ahem* guild guild guild, guild guild guild, guild! Guild! Guild!" Berry Melon sang

"...My overlord..." Walker muttered as if he was staring into the maw of the abyss.

"Great right! Just wait until you hear the chorus!" Berry Melon assured

"Could this trail get any longer?" Walker moaned

"Now be nice Walker I thought that it absolutely, positively, sucked" Elfie proclaimed

"Wha~t" Berry Melon gasped in utter disbelief, her bright future as a songwriter dashed before they were ever conceived.

"That's you're idea of nice?" Walker asked

"That's my idea of honesty. Were you expecting me to be nice as an example of how you should have acted? That's too predictable" Elfie said.

"Well I thought it was...unique" Milky awkwardly said

"Really!" Berry Melon cried out, her eyes beaming.

"A-at least it wasn't a chant to summon evil entities to kill us" Firefly said

"You're right! It didn't do that huh! Just another one of many reasons why my song is awesome, and why you two have bad taste in music!" Berry Melon

"Yes! I see the town, thank you whatever higher being is currently watching over us! Now that's the last I want to hear of that Berry Melon, no need to spread it around to everyone." Walker said

"There goes my plans for the day" Berry Melon glumly responded.

The town was much less active this morning compared to yesterday as the streets were riddled with slouching demons each type showing a unique demonstration of what a monster acts during a hangover. The Slimes could barely sustain their already sloppy bodies, sometimes leaving their bone skulls behind, and appeared more as puddles rather than blobs. There were several Orcs huddled together simply to keep one another standing, and in all for one scenario once when one Orc topples over the bunched groups the rest fall as well. A lone Prinny which was serving the booze was dragging his exhausted body across the streets from having to work all day as a waiter, server, bartender, and living projectile. The occasional Mothman would sloppily zig-zag across the air, but only several feet off the ground. Their eyesight so poor from the dizzying headaches would mislead them to what appears to be open air, but instead the middle of lampposts, walls, and other demons. A Gargoyle was tipped on it's side, and flailed about helplessly trying to get up, but alas he was too hungover to even bother to ask for help. Drink responsibly...

"Besides the meal this is turning out to be one of those days were I once again get pissed off from other people's stupid conversations" Walker said

"Don't forget we still have to go to the Item Shop" Milky reminded

"Oh yeah, what's the name of the guy running it?...Lawrence right? Maybe he'll be too tired himself to act crazy" Walker hoped as they neared the Item Shop.

"Hehehe~ look at you all! Fit as a...shoebox" Lawrence called out as they neared his shop

"Damn it~" Walker groaned

"Last night was so much fun-hahaha~! Even I didn't know I could fill so many dumplings in my mouth-hehe~!" Lawrence cried out

"Fun" Walker dully said

"Now what can I get for you?" Lawrence asked in a suave, and deep inviting voice.

"That made my knees feel like jelly" Elfie admitted.

"Well, go on Milky tell him what you want" Walker encouraged

"You want my antidote" Lawrence proclaimed

"...Maybe once I find out whatever reason I need it for, but I really want is a couple of Stealing Hands" Milky explained

"Okay, okay, okay! I have that! Here you go!" Lawrence excitedly assured

He placed three Stealing Hands on the counter while Milky placed the fee next to them which Lawrence quickly swiped with lightning speed.

"I don't suppose you have anymore do you?" Milky asked

"You dirty, greedy seed of life!" Lawrence growled

"Whoa there he just asked a simple question!" Walker quickly defended

"She" Milky corrected

"Not now" Walker quickly said

"I'm all out of stock! She's taunting that's what she's doing! If you want more then turn around!" Lawrence practically ordered

"Turn around in front of the angry crazy Skull? Seems legit!" Berry Melon exclaimed as she did just that.

"...I swear if this gets us killed I'm gonna be very upset with you Berry Melon" Walker dully said

The rest of the team nervously followed Lawrence command with Walker, and Elfie grabbing Firefly's shoulders just to keep her from shaking so rapidly.

"Okay turn your heads!" Lawrence said several seconds later

They did so, and found several more Stealing Hands on the counter, and Lawrence with a wide grin of accomplishment.

"Wait...how-" Walker began

"I stocked up!" Lawrence exclaimed

"...You know what I'm not even gonna ask to go into detail" Walker concluded

"So we just say it was magic?" Milky asked

"Yeah sure let's go with that" Walker said

"Then I'll just take those as well" Milky said swiping away four more Stealing Hands, and placing the fee on Lawrence's counter which he once again swiped away faster than the eye could catch.

"Are we done here?" Walker asked

"Pretty much" Milky said all stocked up on Stealing Hands.

"Keep it up you're getting close to ranking up, and you know what that means?"Lawrence said

"I finally get to buy some of your snacks?" Berry Melon asked

"No-well yes, but that is not what I meant-it is superior to snacks!" Lawrence assured

"Blasphemy! Burn the witch!" Berry Melon cried out

"Hahaha~! Yes fight me rival! Put an end to this dream once, and for all!" Lawrence shouted at the heavens

"What an odd statement" Elfie could not help, but notice

"We got to go right now!" Walker quickly said as she grabbed Berry Melon, and pulled her away from Lawrence who was shaking his fist angrily at the challenger remained in his post, but soon after began chuckling to himself.

"Well that could have gone better" Walker said

"You I think it's a little early to have an apocalyptic battle of awesome proportions...we're not exactly strong enough to effect the worlds in any way" Berry Melon figured after calming down.

"You make it sound as if you'll do it" Milky said

"It could be fun" Berry Melon figured

"Yes, but think of about the person who's going to have to clean up your future mess" Elfie said

"I see her house, in your best behavior everyone" Walker ordered

Everyone nodded.

"For the free snacks" Berry Melon muttered

"Whatever keeps you from messing up" Walker said

They approached the door, Walker knocking on it several times, and waiting for a response. Eventually the rhythmic pattern of footsteps were heard behind the door, and soon after Kimberly opened the door.

"Welcome! So delighted that you have all come, please come in" Kimberly kindly gestured

She kept to her word, and left her door open as the team went inside, but put a halt to Milky entering her house feeling very unsure of her previous statement.

"I don't mean to be rude, but...you're still not welcome" Kimberly awkwardly said.

"Fine, fine, it's okay I'll...wait outside" Milky quickly said.

"Terribly sorry" Kimberly apologized

"Don't worry at least you apologized unlike those other home owners who keep spraying me with water" Milky said.

Milky jumped out of sight on top of some random strangers roof, basked in the warmth of a new sunny day, and took a quick cat-nap as Kimberly closed her door.

"(Besides I already took enough out of you, I'd feel bad if I unconsciously took more)" was Milky last thought before she succumbed to the warm sun, and comfy roof, and fell asleep.

"Now then please help yourself to the-..." Kimberly began

However she already saw Berry Melon stuffing her face with frosted cake, and sugary biscuits.

"It's a good thing I have plenty of napkins" Kimberly said

"Napkins nothing! I'm gonna lick the frosting off my fingers!" Berry Melon cried out in harmonious...harmony.

"Quit hogging all the food!" Walker exclaimed

"She can keep it, this tea is delightful" Elfie complimented.

"Why thank you! It's Moroccan Mint Tea, and it has such a compelling taste that you just know came from a faraway lands" Kimberly said.

"I could use more of these~" Firefly murmured as the soothing taste of rich tea engulfed her taste buds, enriched her soul, and melted her body in a state of mental peace she hasn't experienced in a lifetime.

"Yes tea can be the ultimate pinnacle of relaxation when the conditions are met. It could be anything from a quiet day in spring with a cool soft breeze, to a comfy living room accompanied by good friends." Kimberly happily said

"There goes most of the food..." Walker realized

Berry Melon paused from her smorgasbord of snacks to face Walker, and in an act of kindness she extended a hand covered in frosting, and cake bits.

"Here!" Berry Melon donated

"...You've got to be kidding me..." Walker muttered

"Don't worry I haven't licked this hand yet!" Berry Melon assured

"How about we just let Kimberly explain to us why she hired us" Walker said

"Well yes I should explain, but I don't see that as a viable reason for you not to enjoy yourself with tea Walker" Kimberly said

"Alright I'll play by your rules, you did hire us after all" Walker agreed as he took a cup, and poured himself some tea.

"Now let me just have seat ri~ght here! Good now what I'm telling you does not leave this room" Kimberly said

"Now you got me interested" Walker said

"I do hope so as I don't like repeating myself. You see my Mothman assistant I hired a long time ago Frederic was always in charge of delivering necessities such as tea, foreign tea, expensive tea, local tea, primarily tea you get the idea." Kimberly said

Walker nodded

"On occasions I also have him purchase an assortment of other items such as vases, adorned trinkets, and intricate dresses. Lately though there were some problems occurring recently." Kimberly continued

"Go on" Walker urged

"Well you see whenever he returns from a delivery he would occasionally be filthy as if he's been in a tussle with some demon along the way, and whenever this occurs it appears as if the shipment I was suppose to receive is either missing, or half empty" Kimberly concluded

"I'm starting to understand, but have you talk to him about this?" Walker asked

"Of course, I've mentioned this to him before, but deeply apologizes, and assures me not to worry. Oddly enough he has also told me not to let anyone one about this which only makes me more unnerving" Kimberly said

"Sounds like a classic bully problem to me" Walker figured

"Pardon?" Kimberly asked wanting Walker to clarify.

"The bully jumps your Mothman halfway through his delivery, takes the stuff after beating him up a bit, and forces him to not tell anyone, or else he'll go through something worse I bet" Walker hypothesized.

"How quickly you came up with such a logical answer for such a low-class peasant...no offense" Kimberly said

"Uh right...well It seems pretty straight forward we'll just follow that Mothman to one of his deliveries, and catch up to his bully, beat the living hell out of him, and make sure he doesn't pick on anyone else again." Walker said

"You're in luck, I just happened to have sent Frederic out on an errand, and if you go now, you can still catch up to him before he returns with the delivery. I have a map of the town right here, this dark purple line is Frederic's flying path, just follow it until you see him, but make sure he doesn't see you" Kimberly said.

"Great we'll be back soon with good news. Okay everyone we're leaving!" Walker announced

"Okay~" Firefly moaned, but not really paying attention.

"'Kay!" Berry Melon cried out.

"As you wish" Elfie said.

"Well good luck" Kimberly said as the Guild were leaving her house.

"You just worry about leaving your end of the bargain" Walker reminded.

"Why of course, it's a lady's promise after all" Kimberly said.

"Right, well see ya" Walker said

"Wait! Before you go there's something I wish you would deliver for me...it's for your Thief friend-" Kimberly began

"Ally" Walker corrected

"Yes, I'm sure...well I still feel a little bad for kicking her out of my house so I wish to give her this plastic container with the tea you all drank, and a cupcake I was saving. Would you mind giving her these?" Kimberly asked

"Yeah sure I'll do that" Walker said as he grabbed the gifts, and left the house followed by Firefly, Elfie, and Berry Melon who was currently sucking on her frosted fingers.

"Well now we just have to find Milky" Elfie said

"Here I am!" Milky exclaimed out of nowhere, and appearing a moment later in front of them.

"Aw great Firefly's broken again!" Berry Melon complained as Firefly returned to her normally cowardly self, and on the floor.

"She'll be fine Elfie, Berry Melon snap her out of it, Milky I have something for you" Walker said showing Milky the plastic bottle of hot tea in one hand, and a fresh cupcake in the other.

"These are...for me?" Milky asked

"Yeah, apparently Kimberly over there is one of those weird ones that act kind to others...she told me to deliver this for you though I don't really care, but she currently own us while this job so I did it" Walker explained

"She feels that bad..." Milky said

"I don't know, nor do I care, grab your snack, and eat it while we're on the way, cause you're gonna be our sleuth for today...you know since we don't have Genin with us, you'll have to be the next best thing." Walker explained

"Thanks..." Milky awkwardly said

"Don't thank me, thank Kimberly, just don't be getting any mushy feelings for our client Milky you'll need to keep your manly instincts in check" Walker reminded

"I'm. A. Girl!" Milky cried out

"*Sigh* just distract yourself with tea, and snacks while I'll tell you what's going on" Walker said

"Unfortunately I'm not carrying either today..." A lifeless happy sucking voice uttered from behind Walker who groaned loudly at the familiar voice.

"Are you stalking us Lloyd! ?" Walker cried out turning around to the depressed Blue Skull Lloyd once again in his presence.

"This feels like dejavu, but of course the sad events always repeat themselves in front of me~" Lloyd groaned in despondency.

"Okay I give up, what do you want, and let's just get it over with" Walker sighed in defeat.

"I suppose even my most simplest of desires is bound to upset someone...everything I do upsets someone" Lloyd said

"Get to the point!" Walker practically begged

"I have given Elfie's review of my previous poem last night some thought, and after the same horrific nightmares in my sleep, I've come to the conclusion that my poems are lacking in feeling" Lloyd said

"I see...*sigh* go on" Walker said instantly regretting asking Lloyd to go into detail.

"There is no deep emotional tug that my poems bring to people, though sadness, and anguish can go a long way, it is still missing it's counterparts...like the opposite side of a coin, have you ever seen a one sided coin before?" Lloyd explained

"So this involves us how?" Walker said

"You, all of you have some deep embedded emotions that are unlike any I've experience. Your emotional levels are above average similar to how my depression is above any normal demons. High frustration levels, high jubilant levels, even levels of fear that I could never mimic, or replicate. I wish to look more closely into this without having to do so from afar, and miss out on crucial data" Lloyd dully explained.

"So you were stalking us, damn you!" Walker said

"If you would let me examine you more closely, then I promise to assist you in any means, in, or out of battle" Lloyd proposed

"So you're saying you want to join our Guild...for your own reasons?" Walker tried to analyze

"Just like all of us!" Berry Melon cheered

"We're desperate!" Elfie honestly proclaimed

"I'm a girl!" Milky cried out very closely to Walker

"W-what's going on! Why is everone screaming! ? Is the end nigh?" Firefly shouted in a panic.

"*Sigh* it seems as if that's the norm around here...alright you can join, we're on a mission, but I'll fill you in on the way" Walker said

"Excellent, may we suffer less from our hardships" Lloyd said

"Guild rule number 1, we do not discourage each other off a mission no matter how suicidal, and hopeless it is" Walker suddenly said

"I can't-" Lloyd began

"No! No promises you can't promise! I've had it the first time, there's no reason for me to hear it any longer" Walker exclaimed.

Lloyd glanced at the girls behind Walker who were glancing around with guilt ridden faces.

"I suppose we should start walking to our doom..." Lloyd said

"Ignoring that because you're new, anyways we suppose to follow a Mothman named Frederic for reasons unimportant to us, save his ass from a possible bully, and make sure he is clear for flying for future delivery" Walker said

"I'm at the head of this reconnaissance group" Milky explained suddenly

"He's our all seeing eye as I like to call it, and we'll jump into the fight when a possible target is on sight" Walker concluded

"I suppose I can withdraw any assumptions for now, but when we're all going to die I'm going to call it first" Lloyd said.

"Sure I'll give you the honor" Walker said

"If we stand around talking we're gonna miss our target" Milky reminded

With that sudden reminder everyone picked up the pace, and followed Kimberly's map. Eventually finding themselves back in the woods besides the town, but much too far from Milky's hideout which she has yet to clean out.

"I suppose this is a good as place as ever to stake out someone, Milky take this map, and find our Mothman, and come back as soon as he gets stopped by some demon, then led us to it" Walker instructed.

"You got it!" Milky said

Milky quickly dashed away from the group as they remained where they were.

"So Lloyd I'm looking at your skill set, and it seems like you also have just one spell...Ice?" Walker question

"Now that's pretty strange, my insight on other demons is not perfect, but I'm certain that you Skulls are always very studious, and thrive on learning new spells" Elfie said

"What was the point, it didn't answer any of my life's questions, or cheer me up. Plus I'm all alone, if I used my spells in a fight, and I lost who will revive me?" Lloyd explained in a hopeless tone

"Well now that you're in our Guild you're gonna learn so there's really no excuse as to why you should not stop learning. You have some spare mana start making use of it" Walker practically ordered

"*Sigh* very well what choice do I have besides doing nothing?" Lloyd concluded

"That's the half-assed spirit" Walker encouraged

"So how about that Sorcerer, or what do you call them Shaman girl no one revived at the Clinic, let's invite her!" Berry Melon proposed

"And let's just jump off a cliff while we're at it, pretty sure it'll be the same effect" Walker sarcastically rebutted.

"I can see where this is headed, but at the moment we need to recruit quite a lot of people to join us, and several monsters as well. Maybe joining at such an early start was a bad idea, it'll feel like a lot of work to get everything running" Elfie said

"How do you think I feel" Walker added.

"Just give me something sweet for a boost, and I'll pitch in too" Berry Melon assured.

"I hope nothing bad happens to us...like a meteor crash" Firefly fearfully said.

"We don't get many of those in this Netherworld" Walker assured.

"I'm sure some Netherworld out there probably does" Elfie said.

"Sucks to be them" Walker said.

"Maybe I should write a poem of falling meteors, and the emotional impact it caused others" Lloyd figured.

"Keep it to yourself, or at least until after we finish" Walker said.

"Of course...no need to bring anyone down in such a important moment" Lloyd said in disappointment

"Now you're learning" Walker praised

"Hey here comes Milky!" Berry Melon cried out.

"And this time she didn't just jump out of nowhere giving Firefly a heart attack" Elfie also realized.

"That's good" Firefly said sounding relieved.

"Guys I found our Mothman just a few yards away changing his course" Milky informed the group.

"Great, take us in, but let's not blow our cover just yet we'll keep following" Walker said

"Just follow me" Milky said

They zigzag through the trees keeping close to one another now wanting to separate for fear of getting lost the deeper they maneuver through the woods.

"Stop everyone! He's right there to our left get down" Milky whispered loudly.

They did so, and several seconds later they too had a visual on their Mothman flying several feet off the ground just below the tree leaves. He grunted to himself as his delivery wrapped in string, and tied around his neck swished, and swayed as he made sharp turns to avoid the trees. The team carefully followed from a distance with Milky leading them to it's off course path.

"Funny, it sure doesn't look like he's being forced to go anywhere" Walker muttered

"Yeah, he's making a lot of effort to completely go the wrong way" Elfie said

"This isn't turning out to be so black, and white anymore" Berry Melon whispered with a hint of excitement.

Eventually they followed him into a clearing in the woods that appeared very recent considering that there were several tree stumps around the area that have not been removed yet. The Mothman flew to the center of the area, and waited while the Guild stalked patiently just outside the border of the clearing behind trees, and bushes. Eventually someone else came out from the opposite side of them, a Fighter by the looks of it, and following shortly after were three Orcs, possibly hired goons, or mindless followers, or just really bored individuals with nothing else to do, but to follow some random Fighter into the woods.

"I'm really not enjoying these constant trips through the woods" Frederic argued with a raspy, yet somewhat squeaky voice.

"So long as you're getting paid what are you complaining!" The Male Fighter said

"Payed?" Walker muttered under his breath.

"Whatever here it is, don't take so much this time, she's getting suspicious. I can't keep making up excuses forever" Frederic

"Don't worry this little plan of ours is gonna make us rich eventually, just a little bit of patience" the Fighter said

"I'm not liking this" Firefly whispered nervously

Frederic dropped near the bottom, and placed the package on the floor, untangling it from his neck, then the Fighter went after it, and opened it. Inside were an assortment of random items from tea leaves, articles of clothing, to small jewelry all packed up in a box half the size of Frederic.

"More crummy leaves? You gotta tell her to buy more gold!" the Fighter said as he began to pocket the gold trinkets.

"Hey don't take all of it we got to make this look like an accident" Frederic said

"Relax, I'll just poke a hole under the box, and you could tell her that it must have dropped from there" the Fighter told him.

"Still I-" Frederic

"Still nothing! She's rich, filthy rich, and she's spending it all on this junk? We have a chance to swipe her HL without doing the hard work of crashing into her house. You already told me how much she trusts you" the Fighter said

"Yeah, I bet I'm the only company she has! How much do you wanna bet she's so desperate for someone to talk to she'll still let us do this even when she finds out!" Frederic joked

"That's the spirit, anyways I'll take the gold, and here's the HL for last time too" the Fighter said as he handed over a small sack of cash.

"I think we've heard enough..." Walker grumbled

"Kick-butt time?" Berry Melon muttered

"Kick-butt time" Milky assured

"Hey! Romeo, and Juliet!" Walker shouted at the top of his lungs as he rose from the bushes.

"Damn it it's Romero!" The Fighter indistinctly argued

"You idiot they've been spying on us!" Frederic realized

"And you, you backstabbing, putrid, rat with wings, stupid, butterfly impersonating, sparkle farting, two timing, vermin! I'm going to give you one chance to make amends for all the crap you've done cause I'm certain you've done this before, to return Kimberly's stuff before I shoot the glitter right out of ya!" Walker angrily exclaimed

"Oh yeah! Then what you stupid dirt farmer? Who do you think she'll believe? Some halfwit with a bad tongue, or her only source of companionship for years?" Frederic said

"Using that as an excuse to take what you want from her? That's low" Elfie said

"The art of betrayal is the most cruelest of deeds even on the Netherworld...it appears as if joining your group to study several new experiences is turning out to be better than I expected" Lloyd said

"Let me at him Walker! I bet all that dust makes him more combustible!" Berry Melon shouted

"Do you have any idea how long I've been her only living companion? Do you have any clue as to how annoying that was? Hearing her talk about her hobbies, her teas, her feelings! I'm not getting paid enough to sit there, and just listen I deserve to be paid extra for that" Frederic explained

"Oh geez big deal someone call waa~mublance because we got a crybaby in our mist" Walker mocked.

"And how are you involved in all this!" Milky asked the Fighter

"Well I don't want to gloat, but I'm the supplier in most of her stuff, just not the case this time. He buys from me, and I just take some of it back with me for her to buy again." Romero explained

"A crooked shop owner eh? No matter you both have failed the test of life, and now I'm gonna expel both of you!" Walker said

"And make little Kimberly alone again? You're worst than me" Frederic said.

"Trust me, I have plenty of ideas one of them is bound to work, but for the meantime it's time to put you in your place!" Walker said

"Orcs get in front of us!" Romero ordered

"Huh? We're actually gonna do stuff? Lame!" One of the Orcs complained.

"I told you we were gonna end up doing stuff following him" a second Orc said.

"Isn't that why he's paying us though?" The third Orc asked

"Not this specifically" the first Orc assured

"Yeah, we're just suppose to pretend his stuff for sale is valuable when someone walks by" the second Orc explained.

"I see, so by doing this he's making us do something we weren't intended to-" the third Orc was saying.

"Get in front of us now!" Romero ordered

The rushed in front of Romero, and Frederic who where besides each other, and formed a horizontal line in front of them making a trapezoid shape.

"Alright! Firefly you'll be next to me, the rest of you get behind us in a line!" Walker instructed

"Oh no, oh no, oh no!" Firefly repeated as she realized another fight was innevitable.

"Relax just do what you did last time, and we'll win this time. No dying this time!" Walker called out

"Kay!" Berry Melon assured

"Good enough of a response" Walker said

"Death is unavoidable, but I'll delay it for as long as possible" Lloyd promised

"I suppose you can't get any more positive than that" Walker figured

"Don't be a hero, just come by me when you need a quick fix. I'll set aside my desires of seeing beaten, and bloody men for the time being" Elfie told Walker.

"Uh, thanks, but once again too much honest information" Walker said

"I'm gonna swipe the pants off them!" Milky said

"Try to aim for something other than their pants, we're good on that category" Walker said.

"You ready, or what I'd like for us to win sooner, rather than later" Frederic mocked

"You can take that sentence, and just shove it!" Walker retaliated

"Battle Start!" Romero called out

As the team went into fighting positions a grid of white squares began to spread across the environment, each fighting demon underneath their own square. Walker had no doubts in his mind that he was going to win this he can only wish that the rest of the team could feel the same way as his two recent recruits had doubts in their minds.

_End of Chapter_

_Who was there for you when you needed an extra healer in your team? Who was there for you when you only had two, or three protagonists, and you needed to fill the extra space? I'm writing this tale for all the years no one else did so...on this scale. While I do so you should go to your Disgaea game go to all your classes, and tell them you love them! From the heart! Because they were there! Thanks you for your patience, reviews, and for reading this far._


	6. Chapter 6

_Chapter 6: Big Happy Family_

_I always enjoyed the random arguments the Disgaea characters go through before, and after fights._

_Walker: Do you have any idea of the headaches I go through listening to my team's idiocy?_

_Just man up, and take it! People love funny arguments. Enjoy!_

Battle! Forest Clearing

"Go you Orcs! Move towards them!" Frederic ordered.

"It's not our turn Mothman, it's theirs" Orc 1 explained.

"Who the hell issued that?" Romero asked.

"My teacher told me a bit about those Mothmen, he would always gloat about how we gunners are one of the most efficient bug killers in the Netherworld." Walker said.

"That's not a very amazing achievement" Berry Melon said.

"Besides we could all take out the Moth from a distance" Elfie said.

"It's weak against ice...don't you think I'm better suited for removing the nuisance" Lloyd dully said.

"Firefly knows ice too! You can combine your attacks" Milky pointed out.

"W-what if I miss?" Firefly asked in a panicked toned.

"I'm more than certain you'll achieve at least a 99 percent hit chance in that so I wouldn't worry" Walker assured.

"Well Walker what can you tell us from their distance alone?" Milky asked.

"Well I can tell the Orcs will take two turns to get here, the Mothman can reach all of us no problem, and even if he couldn't their type can hit over a one square distance forward, back, left, and right. The Fighter can reach me, and that axe of his will hurt like crazy so we either take him all at once, or-" Walker began.

"Or I can steal it from him!" Milky said.

"Be my guest...moving on their levels are pretty average a few seven, and eights, but we've buffed up, and still outnumber them so I don't expect anything less than total victory...so long as we do as I say" Walker concluded.

"But we aren't really gonna kill Frederic are we? What if everything he said was true?" Berry Melon asked.

"Then another poor soul will join me in my wallow...maybe we could write poems together" Lloyd said.

"I already have a plan for that so let us bring our focus back on the fight" Walker assured.

"What will you have us do?" Elfie asked.

"Well there's no doubt that Axe guy is gonna hurt so we're gonna play the waiting game at the moment, but not before I shoot that rat with wings first. Everyone take a step back, and go to defend, I'll join you guys soon after, and end my turn" Walker issued

The team understood, and retreated one square back, Lloyd, Milky, Elfie, and Berry Melon reached the edge of the grid, and by standard demon law clearly states that if an empty abyss, or black hole is not located at the edge of a arena then whosoever touches the edge of the grid will forfeit the match for their entire team. Firefly retreated one square as well, but Walker stood his grounds, and planned an attack with his Gun's range which was just barely able to reach Frederic from his five block distance.

"Execute!" Walker exclaimed

He fired a single shot hitting Frederic, and lowering his health to just above one fourth of the total. He then took a square back next to Firefly.

"I end my turn!" Walker assured

"Hm~ they are tricky...I have to admit that's a whole lot of different classes to fight with. Makes it hard to move someone to maneuver against one class, and not get hit by the rest in some way." Frederic said

"Who cares! One hit of my axe critical, or not is all it takes to take one out" Romero assured

"They're waiting us out...they want us to go to them by wasting our turned walking towards them, and then going all out on us the next turn." Frederic said

"What a bunch of sissies! If that's how it's gonna be I got an idea" Romero said.

"Not now! I'm the brains here, I'll think of something so-hey!" Frederic cried out

Romero decided to grab Orc number two in front of him, and tossed him four squares forward right in front of Firefly causing her to shriek like the little demon girl she once was. Orc 2 was now one square distance away from Firefly, and Romero stood his ground as did everyone else.

"Mistake Eraser that balloon girl!" Romero exclaimed

"Yes! Mistake Eraser!" Orc 2 cried out

"Execute!" Romero cried out

Orc 2 planted his spike club standing on the ground, jumped on the bottom head triggering a sequence of events in which the ground around it began to tremble, he himself along with his spiked club shook violently, and heat buildup intensified at the tip of the club. Finally while he squeezed the shaft with his legs, tilted down, and shot off like a rocket hitting Firefly directly, and spinning violently like a top almost pushing her off her square. Eventually his spun died down, he fell to the ground, and quickly retreated back to his square with a lewd smile. Firefly sustained minimal damage, a little below one fourth, but being hit for the first time did cause her to whimper a bit as she had not adjusted so well to pain after being so far away from it for years.

"Now get back here!" Romero called back

Eager to run away from the angry stares of Firefly's teammates he returned to his sandwiched position between Orc 1, and 3.

Everybody else defend" Frederic ordered

Only three of them were able to stay in defend, Frederic, Orc 1, and Orc 3.

"I end my turn!" Frederic exclaimed

"*Gr~!* those dingbats, I can see where this is going, hey Firefly want to get back at em?" Walker asked.

"I'm gonna die, I'm gonna die, oh god my health bar is dropping like an apple from a tree!" Firefly cried out in a scared frenzy.

"*Sigh* Elfie, can you just heal her real quickly?" Walker asked

"Of course...I can reach her from my square so I can move anywhere else you wish me to go" Elfie said

"That's good, now heal her, and wait for further instructions" Walker said

"Ready!" Elfie said as she aimed a heal at Firefly who was in a fetal position for the octillionth time.

"Execute" Walker reluctantly said

Elfie performed her heal, regenerating the miniscule loss of health Firefly went through.

"Feeling better?" Walker asked

"Y-yes" Firefly admitted with rosy cheeks, embarrassed from the tantrum everyone saw her do.

"Good...Berry Melon toss her as far as you could forward, we'll beat them at their own game." Walker announced

"Gotcha!" Berry Melon said

"W-wait what! Eek~!" Firefly complained as Berry Melon carried her up over her cute head...surprising really, but not uncommon, and tossed her three squares forward. She landed ungracefully on her ass, and took some time to recover as everyone else including her teammates laughed at her.

"Hehe~o-okay, okay back to fighting Firefly. Go move to the next to the Orc farthest from my right, I'm gonna need your blade rush again" Walker issued

"O-okay~" Firefly muttered in more humiliation.

"I'm gonna move forward for a Tri-Burst on one of them, Milky you're just gonna shoot the one in the middle next to mine, and Lloyd you'll hit the Orc next to Firefly.

"I can use my Tri-Burst too! Why won't you let me" Milky asked

"Because I can't afford to make you a target just yet, that axe can take you out in one blow, and Lloyd here seems so willing to die compared to you" Walker explained

"Oh grievous reality how art thou so wicked towards me~" Lloyd wailed

"I'll take that as a yes sir, now get as close as possible, and aim a Ice spell at your target, Milky you stay where you are, and aim for the middle, the rest of you take five, and I'll go where I'm needed" Walker ordered.

Everyone did so from first to last it will be Lloyd striking with ice first at the Orc next to Firefly, Milky attacking from a distance second at the Orc in the middle, Walker hitting the Orc next to Milky's target with a Tri-Burst, and Firefly taking advantage of Walker's combo evility to deal critical damage to all her targets with a Blade Rush.

"End Turn!" Walker shouted, signaling everyone to attack.

"Feel my cold shoulder, and frozen heart~" Lloyd echoed loudly.

Ice particles appeared all around the Orc, darted towards him faster than he could blink, and latched on to him expanding extremely rapidly. In less then a second all the small chunks of ice clustered together freezing the Orc entirely in a chunk of ice, and blew up before he could feel the full effect of hypothermia. The ice spell did quite a number lowering Orc 3's health by less than half.

Milky shot at Orc 2 dealing just below one fourth, and Walker shot at Orc one dealing just under half damage.

Firefly then performed Blade Rush with a combo of two, and dealing critical damage to all her opponents. Needless to say she decimated all three of them dropping their healths to zero.

"Do we get paid for dying?-*Dead*" Orc 1 said

"Pretty sure it's in our contract-*dead*" Orc 2 said

"But we didn't get a contract...or life insurance-*dead*" Orc 3 said.

"Useless every last one of them!" Frederic said

"Relax they got them to reach us, now let's return the favor" Romero said eying Firefly specifically.

"Alright fine you do what you want, and I'll get back at the Gunner" Frederic proposed

"Fine by me" Romero replied as he moved several squares, and in front of Firefly with the Skill Boulder Crush at the ready.

"Guess I'll just try to trap in his square so he doesn't interfere then..." Frederic said as he hovered to a square diagonally to the left of Walker, and prepared the Skill Hell's Cocoon.

"End Turn!" Frederic exclaimed

"Too bad we can't do anything later today, cause you'll be dead, Boulder Crush!" Romero cried out

He struck at Firefly square in the head entrapping her in his axe, jumped high into the air with Firefly performing two unnecessary back-flips. After the second one Firefly was released from the Axe's grip, but was in mid air, and exposed which Romero took advantage off by slamming her again as they went down in a loud, and messy crash. We're it not for the fact that he got a critical out of that, Firefly would have made it, but alas the plus damage was enough to drop her health at zero.

"I-I guess I am no good...sorry~*dead*" we're Firefly's last words before she passed away until Walker would have to bring her back.

But there was no time for Walker to start mourning his HL for now it was his turn to take punishment.

"You'll be lucky if you could move a pinkie finger after this one! Hell's Cocoon!" Frederic exclaimed

Frederic hovered in circles around Walker, his movements were so hypnotic that he appeared to have cloned himself several times. Walker was so fixated by it that he didn't notice the green webbing he was currently being encased in, before he could react it was too late with most of his body was covered he was unable to move until his entire body was wrapped. Frederic continued it's hypnotic movements until Walker was entirely wrapped nice, and tight. Once that part was over he finished it by releasing sharp winds, and sonic blasts that shredded the cocoon, and Walker's eardrums apart. Walker was still alive with half his health left so he wanted to demonstrate what he felt about the whole ordeal with a hand gesture, but discovered that he was unable to move.

"W-what's going on! ?" Walker asked loudly.

"Look above you Walker! You have a paralyzed symbol!" Milky assured.

"...I can't! I can't even move my head, or hell my eyes!" Walker exclaimed.

"Oh yeah~ that happens doesn't it." Milky awkwardly said.

"But I am so happy for you that you are able to give out orders, congratulations!" Elfie happily cheered.

"Hooray, hooray!" Berry Melon added.

"Elfie~ get me out of this mess!" Walker ordered

"Very well I shall assist you" Elfie said

She moved as close as she could towards Walker, and prepared a Espoir spell.

"There whenever you're ready" Elfie said.

"Execute!" Walker quickly said.

"Cure this demon of his disabilities" Elfie sang beautifully.

"It's not like that!" Walker assured.

A bright flash of lights, glitter, and magic pixie dust swept across, and around Walker by an unknown wind curing him of his ailment.

"Much better!" Walker said

"Glad to be of use" Elfie said

"Great with Firefly gone, and Elfie unable to do anything more we'll just have to hit harder." Walker said

"What are we gonna do?" Milky asked

"Simple Milky you are gonna steal that guy's axe. We can take him out with one full out attack, but if he doesn't have an axe we'll have a higher chance to survive." Walker said

"Are you sure? I may only have a fifty, fifty chance I'll succeed" Milky told him

"...If my vermin, backstabbing, money stealing gunslinger ally was here, and I use ally very lightly, she would have gone for it...so I guess I will too" Walker conceded.

Milky moved many squares, and was standing right next to Romero where sure enough her stealing hand could only guarantee a 48 percent chance of success. Walker nodded, Milky nodded in respond, and attempted to steal Romero's Old Axe...it was a success. The Old Axe was quickly added to their inventory.

"W-what the! You little brat!" Romero complained, of course that's all he could do since it wasn't his turn yet.

"Great! Berry Melon burn that weakling, I'll Tri-Burst him, and Lloyd you hit him with another ice spell!" Walker excitedly exclaimed

Berry Melon walked several squares, and happy to see that she could just reach her target. Walker free of the paralysis moved behind Romero with his skill ready, and Lloyd moved a square forward, and prepared a Ice spell.

"End Turn!" Walker ordered

"Some people just want to watch the world burn~" Berry Melon chanted as she cast Fire, taking advantage of Romero's slight weakness to it, and doing quarter damage which Walker followed up with a Tri-Burst with dwindled Romero's health to less than half until Lloyd came, and blasted him with a critical ice spell, and ended it.

"I'll never swindle my customers...again~*dead*" Romero last words were as he died.

"...I...I can still...you know...I...Hell cocoon!" Frederic cried out, blasting Walker yet again, and cutting his health down to the danger levels, but before he ended his turn he made sure to fly as far away from all of them as possible.

"End turn!" Frederic shouted mockingly.

"Jokes on you! That last hit didn't stun me, so I guess I'll be ending it in another victory! Everyone get as close as possible! Milky, you, and me hit him with a Tri-Burst, Berry Melon if you could, burn him, Lloyd freeze him, and Elfie if all else fails an arrow to the skull won't.

"Roger!" Milky said.

"Another soul sent to the afterlife" Lloyd said.

"Right away" Elfie said.

"This is gonna be so sweet!" Berry Melon chimed.

Everyone moved as far as they could towards him, apparently all of their range attacks reached their target, and in particular order they issued their Skills.

"End Turn!" Walker said with a finale tone.

Walker hit with Tri-Burst, then Milky attacked with a second Tri-Burst, and the Lloyd blasted Frederic with Ice, and with that Frederic's health dropped to zero, and the fight ended in a victory.

"So it's come to this..." Walker said.

"You're gonna resurrect me right? Think I'll comply if you threaten me to stay with Kimberly?" Frederic said.

Walker did not say anything.

"Well too bad I won't be going back! I'll just run away, although maybe with a large enough sack of HL you could change my mind" Frederic sneered.

"...? You're not included in my plan" Walker finally declared.

"W-wha-*dead*" Frederic stuttered before he died.

The grid disappeared, and the clearing returning to normal, Walker wordlessly grabbed a nearby sack containing their rewards. Inside he found several hundred HL, and even a nifty Caterpillar Egg.

"Not a bad haul today...okay let's bring our Knight back, and collect our due...or the other way around I don't care which" Walker said.

Walker began walking in a direction he figured was the right one, while his team followed silently, and closely behind him. As they left the round forest clearing they were unaware of soft rustling coming from two trees opposite their direction. Deep inside the tree leaves crouching on separate branches were a Genin in one tree, and a Hanakage in another tree. They nimbly, and silently jumped down from their camping ground walked towards one another, despite walking so casually even their footsteps were completely silent even under dead, hard leaves.

"So what do you think? Zam!" The Genin asked

"I don't know brother...I know we're good at hiding, but am I really the only one of my kind here?" The Hanakage asked

"*Ahem*-zam!" The Genin said

"...Nin-nin" the Hanakage muttered

"You need to memorize that more efficiently sister-zam! As for your question, yes so far you are the only one in your class to have come here that I am aware of-zam!" The Genin revealed

"So you brought me here to spy on them with you...What?...Oh-nin-nin?" the Hanakage said

"Correct! I have been watching them from afar after I jumped the portal from our Netherworld to their's-zam! I saw them fight the Orcs, the monsters, and now this...clearly they have potential, but still need a far way to go-zam!" The Genin said

"So what? We've been doing this to party members for years now..." the Hanakage said

"Sister..." the Genin hinted

"Nin-nin" the Hanakage said

"I know that, but I feel something good about them...maybe they'll be a challenge to us when they play our personal 'game'-zam" the Genin hinted

"Really? Maybe this trip won't be so boring after all, do we hit them now?...Nin-nin?" the Hanakage asked

"No not yet, we shall wait, and let them grow in numbers then we'll strike" the Genin said

"I'm fine with that, can I buy some sneakers while we wait brother...nin-nin?" the Hanakage asked

"That is not the clothing of a true Ninja! I reject your demand along with your demands for brightly colored t-shirts, cute skirts, beaded jewelry, makeover, and getting your hair done-zam! You must solely focus on your training, especially the part where you keep forgetting to say 'nin-nin' after the end of your sentences-zam!" The Genin scolded

"Come on brother! I've been working hard, can't I be a normal girl just for a few days, or hours even...nin-nin?" the Hanakage pleaded

"...Your shoes must be black, or camouflage, and any sound I hear from them during our training I'll have you meditate one hour under a waterfall-zam!" the Genin conlcuded

"...O-okay fine! So long as they're the pair teenagers wear these days, and I won't even wear them during training I promise...nin-nin!" the Hanakage cheered

After a quick scolding from her Genin brother for being loud, the two siblings disappeared under a thick cloud of smoke they had conjured.

Back to the Guild Members

"Walker...you alright?" Berry Melon asked.

"Hm? Yeah I'm fine, lost Firefly, but that's merely another way of simply saying I lost HL, but with the pay we're going to get it's all handled" Walker assured.

"When you told...Frederic that he wasn't included in your plan...what did you mean exactly?" Milky asked.

"I mean what I said. He's not involved at all in my plan, but he is mentioned" Walker said.

"What is this plan of yours that you speak of?" Lloyd asked.

"Well if you must know I plan on-" Walker began.

"Oh! Oh! You're gonna solve Kimberly's possible loneliness issue by having her join us right? So obvious!" Berry Melon exclaimed.

"What? No!" Walker said.

"Wha~?" Berry Melon said.

"I'm just gonna buy some sort of stuff animal...a horse possibly, and give that to her to talk to, then collect my fee" Walker explained.

Berry Melon glared at him.

"Have her join us!" Berry Melon argued.

"I'm not gonna force her to do anything! If she likes the animal friend that's good enough for me" Walker said.

"B-but that's not how it should work right?" Berry Melon argued.

"Why not? It seems okay to me, we get paid she get's to run her mouth at something, everybody wins" Walker said.

"But she's been very equal to us...she didn't treat us like the newcomers that we are" Elfie said.

"That's what bothers me a bit...she's too noble, or maybe humble...kind possibly? Those are all bad traits here" Walker said.

"Well I'm still gonna invite her!" Berry Melon said outright.

"What is this? All of a sudden there is treason against the leader! This will make for a depressing poem" Lloyd figured.

"It's not treason you're overreacting like a certain little witch, but if it's gonna be like that then fine if my plan doesn't work then we'll go ask her to join, but I'm pretty sure she'll say no" Walker said.

"Now how about we talk about something else?" Berry Melon said.

"I get the feeling this is gonna be one of those long treks through the woods" Walker said.

"I use to have this crush with a boy Healer when I was in school" Elfie suddenly revealed.

"What the hell?" Walker said.

"Was he cute?" Milky asked.

"Well I thought he was cute at the time" Elfie said.

"Well that's interesting, did it get anywhere serious?" Milky asked.

"We were young, it didn't last...besides he never introduced himself to me" Elfie concluded.

"Well at least that story was short" Walker said.

"So you were the same ever since you were in school?" Berry Melon asked.

"Quite frankly yes, but if you ask me I was one of the more prettier of the Healers." Elfie admitted.

"In a World where almost everyone looks alike I highly doubt that" Walker said.

"Really? It seems like everyone can acknowledge who I am even among several Blue Skulls...*sigh*" Lloyd said.

"Well it's different with you" Walker said.

"Hey do you guys wanna hear something weird?" Milky said.

"No" Walker said outright.

"So I was walking through a similar patch of woods on my own a while back when I stumbled on a weird plant, and landed on my bum...I got a bad rash on it all of a sudden, and I had to wear longer shorts to cover the rash. I don't what else to say, but the rash is gone so there you have it" Milky said

"...Stupidity...at critical levels" Walker mumbled.

"Oh~ I hate it when that happens" Berry Melon said.

"That never happened to you" Walker reminded.

"Yeah it did...but it was a cactus remember?" Berry Melon reminded.

"...Oh yeah! Back when you were Eliza, and a Gunslinger in training. You fell on a cactus trying to master a Skill, and it took an hour to get those spines off ya" Walker remembered.

"Yeah, and despite all the complaining you still helped me out!" Berry Melon said.

"I got rejected from a school play once...I think that was the kick start to my depression" Lloyd announced.

"Great another one!" Walker cried out.

"Yeah, but now that I think about it I can't seem to remember what the play was about, but what I do remember was the emotional scar it had given me" Lloyd said.

"We're not gonna be discussing anymore past stuff you guys got that?" Walker said.

"Well you know that kind of makes me feel sad~" Lloyd began.

"It should it's depressing" Elfie agreed.

"Any thoughts about bringing us to the modern age with some T.V.'s, and computers?" Milky asked.

"What the- what the hell would you use a computer for?" Walker asked.

"Write a blog about my shortcomings" Lloyd figured.

"Like anyone would care" Walker revealed.

"Someone would be sympathetic I'm sure" Elfie said.

"There's always free advertising online Walker" Berry Melon reminded with a mischievous smile.

"Yeah she taught me that a while ago" Walker said.

"Who is this she, and should I feel envious?" Elfie asked.

"She's a former friend Gunslinger of mine who shall remain nameless, and I don't understand your second question" Walker said.

"Well getting back to topic, I was thinking of ordering take out for diner what do you think?" Elfie said.

"That wasn't what we're discussing" Walker said flat out.

"I'm disturbed over the lack of sweets, and cake ingredients we currently have" Berry Melon said.

"That wasn't it either!" Walker exclaimed.

"Well sorry! There's just too much to go over I'm overloaded with ideas!" Berry Melon retaliated.

"Ugh! Fine we'll get something on the way over, but we're still spending most of the HL on new weapons, and armor" Walker said.

"How does something furry shave off their mustache?" Milky suddenly asked.

"I-I don't understand..." Walker muttered weakly.

"Well let's take for instance a...really furry Cu Sith" Milky began.

"Okay?" Walker said.

"So this Cu Sith because he's so extra furry gets a mustache, but he wants it gone. How does that work out without leaving an obvious bald spot underneath his nose?" Milky asked.

"...That's stupid, stop being stupid!" Walker said.

"We could do this all day, it seems like we still have a ways" Berry Melon cheered.

"I've never met a group of people I wanted to facepalm at so badly..." Walker muttered.

"Then the quest has begun!" Berry Melon shouted with excitement.

"The what now?" Walker asked.

"Hark! A new adventure awaits us, the guild must wait!" Berry Melon squealed.

"I'm missing something here..." Walker muttered.

"Hark! I shall abide upon your request sir Walker!" Milky added.

"Now I'm a sir?" Walker said.

"Hark!...I just wanted to say hark" Elfie admitted.

"Good for you" Walker said.

"Hark! This sounds dangerous, someone is sure to fall, and die a demon's death" Lloyd added

"And there you go making it awkward just like I predicted" Walker said.

"We must locate whoever can annoy Walker to a degree we cannot!" Milky revealed

"So that's what this is about, migraines are not a joke, don't start giving me one by following your stupid quest" Walker said.

"Well it was fun while it lasted" Berry Melon sighed

"Yes all thirty seconds of it" Elfie agreed.

"I felt something other than fun...indigestion perhaps?" Lloyd added.

"Oh look a clearing, and I think I hear the sound of a bustling street corner!" Milky said

"Guess our discussions are over" Walker said sounding relieved

"Well we can end it for today, but we still have a ways to go to Kimberly's house...then there's the clinic, and the stores...busy day ahead of us" Elfie said

"Decisions, decisions" Walker said

"Choosing one over the other...no matter the choice someone always ends up hurt" Lloyd noticed.

"Again Lloyd, not really the case here, but with the extra HL I got from the fight it should be more than enough to pay for Firefly's revival, our recovery, and then some" Walker figured

"Alright let's bring her back, I miss her already!" Berry Melon applauded the idea.

"I don't see much of a difference actually" Walker said

"She's still new you got to give her some time, you'll grow to like her" Elfie said

"...Aren't we all technically new to this whole thing" Milky revealed

"T-true, but this isn't necessarily a bad thing, I mean we've done good so far, and it's only been a few days. If we achieve this much in such a short time, then we'll definitely make something big out of this" Walker said

"Won't that mean that we'll be subjugated with even more impossible tasks...and what if we get a creepy fanbase with lot's of money, and too much free time?" Elfie said

"Creepy fanbase? I'm confident we will only attract those who are moderately civil, strong, and heavy drinkers who own sarsaparilla bars" Walker said.

"And that ladies, and gentlemen is what we call a 'pipe dream'" Berry Melon announced.

"Welcome to your paradise Walker" Elfie said.

"Thank ya kindly, but let's get focus back to our assignment...we just missed the clinic" Walker said

Sure enough they were several feet behind the single clinic, too busy discussing important matters to notice it. After backtracking they went inside the clinic, greeting them was the same Healer they met the night before.

"Oh it's you too...so what can I help you with?" Matilda asked with a bored expression on her face as she leaned on her counter.

"So how was the party?" Elfie asked

"Oh you know, all eyes on me, but that's nothing new...soon after it ended I went to sleep, and returned to my work place" Matilda answered in the most uninterested tone they Guild has heard.

"Good for you...has a Magic Knight come by your document as deceased by any chance?" Walker asked

"I don't know...I always forget to check the thing until some customer comes, and asks" Matilda answered poorly

"Customer? Don't you mean patient?" Milky corrected

"Honey in this place it's one in the same" Matilda said

"You see Milky healing demons who treat others as patients are seen as obscenely gentle, kind, or even nice by demon standards. We are taught to use the phrase 'customer' whenever we treat someone, which is why we always charge for our services. Even in battle we would occasional steal HL from a dying demon before recovering them...unless of course we are working for someone such as I. That being said there's no reason for that glare Walker" Elfie explained.

"Yeah, what she said" Matilda said with no spirit.

"Whatever can you revive my Magic Knight?" Walker asked

"Here's the paper, just point at your merchandise, and I'll give you the fee" Matilda said with no energy.

"There she is underneath Frederic" Walker pointed out.

"Very well, here is the amount, and thank you for choosing my clinic" Matilda said as she stroked the paper list, and soon after a fixed amount of HL was seen right next to Firefly's picture.

"...You're the only clinic" Walker reminded

"So I am" Matilda agreed.

"Can we have a two for one special if we revive her!" Berry Melon cheerfully asked as she pointed at the very orange, and worn out side of the paper with the Shaman picture/

"I'm afraid giving out discounts for the dead would be similar to that of an act of generosity, even if you still pay for it. It's okay for merchants because it means the suckers would buy more thinking they are saving more HL, but this is not a store" Matilda explained.

"Come on Walker do it~ When are we ever gonna have a chance to have someone like her join us?" Berry Melon said

"Hopefully never if luck is on our side" Walker said

"Can you at least show us how much it'll cost to bring her back?" The ever curious little Berry Melon asked

Matilda made a noise that sounded sort of like a horse neighing, and motioned her hands across the paper as if it was a client being massaged. The price for bringing the Shaman back appeared in very old style, but still readable print.

"Why is she more expensive than Firefly?" Milky asked

"I don't know~...I was too lazy to look it up~...maybe she just has more HP, and SP than her~...*sigh* this is taking forever~" Matilda moaned in boredom

"Alright here's the HL! Just hurry up, and do it!" Walker cried out impatiently

Matilda weakly slapped the the list, for a moment nothing happening, but before doubt could settle in Firefly's photo began to vanish. Walker looked on at the list relieved at last at some progress, but relief soon turned to horror when he saw that the Shaman picture had also started to disappear.

"Oi, oi, oi! Why the hell is her picture vanishing too, what are you playing at?" Walker quickly asked

"Well when you placed your HL on the table you agreed to pay for all the fee's that were shown on the list...including the Shaman girl who's price was also visible during the time" Matilda revealed

"That's bullcrap! Why didn't you say something about this before I did that! ?" Walker angrily asked

"Too lazy~, but I'm not lazy enough to tell you there's no refunds" Matilda said

"Son of a b-" Walker muttered, but before he could finish a loud *bang* was heard from behind the door behind Matilda.

"*Oomph!*" Firefly was heard squealing after a rough landing.

"Whee~!" Was soon heard from an unknown girl, possibly the Shaman. Her voice was very squeak-ish, but full of life for one who was dead for so long.

"W-what the-Eek! It's dark! There's someone here! H-help! Eek~!" Firefly shouted

"Ee~k!" The second female mimicked

"Ee~k!" Firefly continued

"Ee~k!" the Shaman retaliated

"Ee~k" The two girls now shouted simultaneously

The two kept at it until Matilda had finally walked the several inches she needed to reach, and open the door behind her...it took her quite a while for such a short distance. Almost instantly once Firefly saw a flicker of light she immediately rushed towards it crashing onto Matilda unaware of the Shaman on her back.

"...Ouch~" Matilda muttered

"I-I'm sorry! A-are you okay! ?" Firefly asked as she helped Matilda up.

"Cursed to bump into someone? Very sneaky!" The Shaman declared with a grin.

"What the hell! ? She already started cursing people!" Walker exclaimed

"No she didn't Walker! Shamans have a habit of blaming all misfortune on curses, including their own." Milky explained

"Very little of said misfortunes are ever caused by a Shaman, they don't abuse their power ofter...or perhaps they weren't all that good to begin with?" Lloyd added.

"I suppose I did jump to conclusions, but what do you expect after everything all of you told me" Walker argued

"*Sniff, sniff*" the little Shaman girl jumped off Firefly, and began sniffing the air around Walker.

"W-what is she doing?" Walker asked

"Shamans aren't particularly civil...they are more wild than most demons, they trust their inherited animal instincts as well as their curses, and hexes" Elfie explained

"Inherited?" Walker repeated

"It's part of their training...to become one with nature, or something so that she can help them with their pranks" Matilda said dully

"You call hexes, and curses just 'pranks'?" Walker said

"You smell...like pack leader yes? Who you?" The little Shaman girl asked

"You first! I need answers, and stop sniffing me!" Walker ordered

The little Shaman girl did so, but instead of giving Walker space she moved in closer, Walker could feel her breathing through his clothing.

"Act like pack leader! You new pack leader?" The Shaman asked.

"Looks like her instincts are already telling her I'm the boss around here...maybe she's not as dumb as I thought" Walker said.

"Me not dumb! I curse you!" The Shaman threatened.

"Why haven't you told me your name yet?" Walker asked ignoring the threat of a curse.

"Me not dumb! Me Peach Basket!" The Shaman answered.

"Peach Basket? Were you cursed with a stupid name?" Walker asked.

"Curse me? Stupid name curse...?" Peach Basket muttered in confusion.

"Walker don't tease her already! We still don't know if she'll join us yet" Berry Melon scolded.

"Buahahaha~!" Peach Basket suddenly began to laugh loudly, and joyfully.

"W-whoa what's with the sudden laughter? Is she broken?" Milky asked.

"Bahahahaha~! Pack leader told funny joke! Peach Basket not stop l-laughing-bahahaha!" Peach Basket cried out.

"I guess this means you're still stable" Walker figured.

"Peach Basket love new pack leader! Me want to follow pack leader! Curse pack leader's enemies! Curse pack leader too!" Peach Basket cried out.

"I don't know about that last part, but I payed for you...even if you were an accident. I guess I'll let you tag along since we have plenty of rooms to spare" Walker caved in.

"Peach Basket do her best! Peach Bakset not lose! Peach Basket...not die again..." Peach Basket assured, muttering her last statement for some reason.

"Alright well that settles it then I guess we'll be going then...a little lighter than I wanted to" Walker said.

"Don't you wish to recover from your injuries too?" Matilda asked

"Ah~ we'll just sleep it off, plus we don't even feel it...isn't that strange? Seriously I was blasted with a very loud high pitch sonic blast, twice! Yet I don't feel like my ears will be bleeding anytime soon, yet my health tells me otherwise." Walker said

"A simple 'no' would have suffice" Matilda said.

"Whatever we're done here see ya later" Walker said as he left the clinic with the rest of his group following him.

"So I guess we'll be going to Kimberly's house, and tell her the good news then?" Milky said

"Oh? So you resolved everything while I was away?" Firefly asked

"Actually he did the exact opposite, and now we're going to crush her with the saddening news of her assistant's betrayal, and death while using a stuffed animal horse as a poor replacement to said assistant. To add insult to injury we'll be asking her to pay us after we explain...that's dark even for me" Lloyd explained.

"Come on, we do this enough times it'll feel like nothing" Walker assured.

"Can you even sleep at night?" Milky asked.

"Like a baby" Berry Melon assured.

"...Right...let's get Kimberly that horse" Walker awkwardly said.

"I put curse in horse as extra favor!" Peach Basket promised.

"You do that" Walker said indifferent of the idea.

They walked towards the nearest souvenir, and gift shop which was next to another building that sold insurance of several different kinds because insurance can be quite helpful in such a dangerous environment though it's not surprising that the prices are a little hefty compared to what humans have to pay. Though it's not really obligatory to purchase insurance since people seem to find HL just about everywhere. Usually where a fight took place, and the victor would on some occasions forget to pick up the spoils, but that's not common. Then again maybe having some coverage would be a good idea if you don't want to spend too much at the clinic, and you can trust the insurance company this time around because it's the only one. Also they have pretty good ties with Matilda so they may be the only ones that can strike a deal with her on discounts. After they purchased the stuffed animal horse which had a light brown body with a golden mane, and pony tail, the same color as Kimberly's hair they made their way to her house. Peach Basket was holding it, but had to give it away to Firefly since the horse was just as big as her, and she had problems looking ahead. Berry Melon was too distracted with a kaleidoscope Walker had purchased for her to stop her tantrum upon seeing it. Lloyd also couldn't be bothered to carry it because he suffered from depression, Milky had the same height problem as Peach Basket, and Elfie simply didn't want to.

"It's like I'm seeing another dimension~" Berry Melon said as she stared at the bright colores reflecting on the kaleidoscope.

"You were already at another dimension when you went to that school remember?" Walker said.

"Are you sure this will work?" Firefly asked now that she had a full understanding of Walker's plan.

"Of course, I chose a horse because it's one of those animals with the really long hair so she could I don't know do girly stuff with it's mane. I don't care just so long as we get our cut, I won't be able to purchase as much as I wanted to..." Walker said while looking at Peach Basket

"Cursed with low income...not Peach Basket's fault!" Peach Basket said

"As I was saying, at least I'm showing some mercy to the client...if she tells everyone how we handled it, then we could kiss our guild goodbye. So at the very least she could tell everyone she got a horse after everything that happened" Walker said

"It's a stuffed animal" Elfie corrected

"Of a horse...actually it's more of a pony than a horse" Walker said

"How can you tell? Oh wait you're a cowboy" Milky said

"Gunner! Cowboys work on ranches, gunners, and gunslingers are the real badasses of the west, not cowboys learn the difference it could save your life" Walker explained

"R-right" Milky quickly agreed.

"You really don't want others to associate you with cowboys?" Eflie said. The therapist inside her seeing a hint of mental illness.

"Yeah it's just so...wait I know what you're trying to do, get the hell out of my head!" Walker said quickly.

"Oh Walker what's so bad about letting me under your skin like that?" Elfie innocently asked

"Because I just feel like you're the type that takes advantage of that, and I don't need it coming back to bite me in the ass!" Walker argued

"Very well sir, but rest assure once I sense the presence of angst, as a healer in your care it will be my job to assure healing, and absolute satisfaction, whatever it takes" Elfie assured, her tone very neutral for such a possibly lewd comment.

"Think like me! Me not care what others say!" Peach Basket advised

"I think curses are a waste of time, and Shamans are a waste of class space" Walker suddenly announced

"...Why~..." Peach Basket muttered as she began to cry feebly.

"Oh look I think I see Kimberly's house let's get this done" Walker said.

"Walker~ do the right thing~thing~thing~" Berry Melon echoed

"What are you doing?" Walker asked

"I'm not talking, I am merely your subconscious speaking through your most respectful adviser Berry Melon who you think is simply adorable~adorable~adorable~" Berry Melon continued.

"Not counting on it" Walker said

"Well I gave it everything I got" Berry Melon said

"Just leave it all to me, everything will work out in some way, or another" Walker insisted.

"You haven't steered us wrong so far" Elfie said

"It's only been a day" Milky said

"Well that only means he made a good first impression" Walker said.

"Curses helpful, people love curses..." Peach Basket muttered as she wiped the last of the tears away.

"Good impression for almost everyone" Milky added.

"*Sigh* okay Peach Basket I was joking, really I was. Go back to being...you because I certainly don't need another Lloyd" Walker awkwardly sort of apologized.

"Of course you wouldn't want another me" Lloyd said.

"You like curses?" Peach Basket asked looking up again.

"If it gets you to lighten up then fine I like curses...on other people" Walker said.

"Curses make good exercise! Make you run when curse of bees are placed on you!" Peach Basket said instantly cheering up.

"I bet they do, you know we should really knock on this door to grab Kimberly's attention" Walker said unbeknownst to everyone else, they were already standing in front of Kimberly's house for a quite a while, but where too distracted from their conversation. Walker knocked on the door, a moment later, and Kimberly opened it with an expected smile.

"Greetings again! I have already prepared a little something for your return, a bit of afternoon tea. You know they say that there is no difference in the taste of tea during a day, but only a small-minded fool would think that. Depending on the hour, tea can have subtle changes during the morning, afternoon, and night with some tasting better depending on the time of day. Which is why I had prepared a suitable new tea for you all to try with me while you explain the good news." Kimberly's ranted to the patient group in front of her.

"Wow! Is it ice tea! ?" Berry Melon asked

"...Ice tea? I'm afraid I don't quite understand what you are saying at the moment" Kimberly said with clear confusion.

"You know...ice tea...tea that's very cold...sometimes made from shaved ice" Berry Melon explained

"I-I've never heard of that before! C-could it be made from any tea leaves?" Kimberly asked

"No it's made from a powder that you mix with really cold water with ice in it! It taste really good especially during the summer!" Berry Melon continued.

"My word! Such an exotic tea has escaped my trained eyes, and taste buds? I must get Frederic to deliver me this Ice Tea at once" Kimberly said

"Yea~h about that, can we talk about it inside?" Walker asked

"Oh? Where are my manners, please come in...except for-" Kimberly began

"I know, I know, just make it quick" Milky said, and then jumped out of sight.

They went inside, the center table had several cups of tea, a teapot with the spout emitting warm steam. As everyone went inside Kimberly placed her arm out in front of Peach Basket.

"Excuse me, but who is this?" Kimberly asked

"Her? Oh yeah she's the new demon we recruited" Walker announced

"Peach Basket! Me Peach Basket!" Peach Basket excitedly introduced.

"Um...you do know what she is right?" Kimberly asked

"We like to live life on the edge...makes it 'exciting' doesn't it" Walker said, for some reason Kimberly shivered slightly when Walker said 'exciting'.

"Curse~, curse~" Peach Basket muttered with an evil grin.

"Okay, well another issue that I have is that she's barefoot! She'll track dirt in my house" Kimberly complained

"So what? Elfie's barefoot too" Walker argued

"But Healers are always clean, it's part of their whole duty unless ordered otherwise." Kimberly explained

"It's true there's a little magic under my feet that keep them clean it's imperative that we stay germ free for when we perform an operation." Elfie explained

"That being said I must kindly ask you to either clean yourself up, or wait outside" Kimberly scolded.

"Uga~" Peach Basket groaned.

Finally Peach Basket decided on jumping on Walker's back, and clinging there with a satisfied smirk on her face.

"Looks like she chose option C, quite the rebel" Lloyd said.

"G-get the hell off-ah screw it let's just get this over with" Walker said quickly finding a spot on a couch to sit on, but unable to enjoy it fully since he didn't want to squish Peach Basket.

Everybody else took a seat of their own, the living room packed with settling demons enjoying the company of one another, or at least tolerating each other as much as possible.

"So tell me what happened exactly" Kimberly asked.

"Well to be honest there were some complications" Walker began.

"Oh dear!" Kimberly said

"Yes you see about your assistant Frederic he..." Walker began.

"Oh no..." Berry Melon muttered

"*Sigh*...he quit" Walker announced

Berry Melon who heard this mid sip of her tea suddenly lost control of herself, and began coughing out the tea.

"I-I don't understand, he quit?" Kimberly said.

"Yes, you see after we uh...rescued him he said "enough is enough", and then he threw his satchel away at some nearby pond, and shouted "I quit" before any of us had a chance to talk him out of it" Walker lied.

"So he's not coming back?" Kimberly said

"Yeah, but I'm sure it's not because he hated you, or anything. He was probably just under a lot of stress, and he was angry too. You know when you're mad you tend to act more than you think, but I wouldn't go thinking he'll be coming back anytime soon." Walker said

"I see...I guess this is partially my fault too, if I had only pushed him a little further to get him to admit his complications, but what can you do right?" Kimberly said

"...Oh yeah! Well we all felt bad so we pitched in-mostly with my HL, and got you this large stuffed animal of a pony...It's a little strange I know, but we wanted to guarantee satisfaction, and we kind of rushed the whole gift thing" Walker said.

"A gift...as in you're giving me something I haven't payed for?" Kimberly.

"Whoa there that's generosity you're talking about right there! Technically you did pay for this when you hired us, but you were in our thoughts when we got this so it's a...damn I can't think of the word for it." Walker said.

"Well thank you nonetheless...I guess I should come up with a name for the little guy huh? Or should I say big guy, he's almost as tall as I" Kimberly said.

"What are you gonna do now?" Walker asked.

"I...don't know exactly...I suppose there are alternatives to acquiring my assortment of teas-" Kimberly awkwardly said

"Alright I can't take it anymore, what the hell's wrong with you!" Walker cried out

"I beg your pardon?" Kimberly said sounding very hurt.

"What is it with you, and staying in your little fantasy world of tea, and having others do your work? Has it ever occurred to you to go out into the world to buy the damn things yourself?" Walker argued

"That's nonsense! I do go out you rapscallion!" Kimberly countered

"Staying in this rat town doesn't count! Go outside it's borders like your delivery crew do! You told me you wanted to see the world that one time right?" Walker questioned

"Well yes, but not in the sense that you are trying to force" Kimberly said.

"Well guess what princess there's no other way to do it then to just book it! Unless..." Walker hinted

"Unless what? Tell me" Kimberly demanded

"Unless you book it with other demons with you" Walker said

"What are you suggesting...oh my! N-no absolutely not, you can't be serious?" Kimberly said

"I'm pretty sure deep inside I know you want to" Walker said

"What do I possibly get out of this besides getting dirty?" Kimberly asked

"For starters you'll be going to foreign lands where they make their teas at. I'm no expert, but wouldn't tea in their foreign homeland taste better, and fresher when drinking it right then, and there instead of them having to go through such a long trek where they will most likely slowly stale, or whither away thus making it less enjoyable?" Walker said

For a moment Kimberly was silent.

"Thinking before saying? I can tell you'll already be an asset to the team" Walker complimented.

"These trips you speak of...you promise we'll be traveling towards them soon?" Kimberly asked

"A lot sooner than the way you were doing it that's for sure" Walker assured.

"...Okay...you've convinced me, give me time to pack some things. Wait for me outside I'll be there shortly" Kimberly announced a hint of excitement threatening to be released, and explode.

Walker nodded, and immediately stood up, and began to walk outside, his team eventually following in his wake with Berry Melon being last as she swallowed the last of the crumpets.

"Walker~" Berry Melon muttered with a hint of tease in her voice.

Walker shut the door, "What?" He asked soon after instantly becoming annoyed at Berry Melon's tone.

"What was that just now?" Berry Melon in her teasing tone asked.

"None of your damn business I just suddenly changed my mind is all!" Walker explained.

"You could have just told her the truth, and saved yourself all the trouble lying" Lloyd reminded.

"Y-you really did it...I-I can't believe it" Firefly said.

"Like you would know! You've only met me yesterday!" Walker retaliated.

"So how'd she take it?" Milky suddenly asked as she jumped down from out of nowhere. Firefly beginning to get use to it only suffered a mild heart attack.

"Actually she took it quite well, in fact so well she'll be following us from now on" Elfie revealed.

"What?" Milky said clearly confused.

"Walker had a sudden change of heart" Berry Melon said

"No change in heart at all happened to me! I'm still the badass leader around here!" Walker argued.

"Change of heart curse!" Peach Basket cried out.

"Shut up you-and why are you still on my back? Get off!" Walker exclaimed as he began to shake her off, but Peach Basket had a very firm grip.

"What a surprising turn of events, I was even ready to begin writing of poor Kimberly's troubles too...I guess life has a way of disappointing you...as always" Lloyd said.

"Well life's full of disappointments" Walker said

"No need to remind me, and yet you did" Lloyd said.

"There's just no way you could win can you?" Walker asked

"...There is, but at what cost?" Lloyd said

"You have a point, but I'm still holding you reliable to hold your own when a fight approaches" Walker reminded.

"I will do my very best not to suck" Lloyd said

"That's all I wanted to hear." Walker said

Just behind them the door opened with Kimberly holding several variety of luggage in different sizes, and the Pony animal she was given tied securely to her back, the hind legs narrowly scraping the ground.

"Well shall we go? I will of course require a room to myself" Kimberly said.

"I've got that covered, but wouldn't you rather pack more lightly?" Walker asked

"Oh don't worry it's only the essentials though I can't for the life of me find some of my more decorative head accessories I kept in my room. It's almost as if they had disappeared in my sleep." Kimberly said

"Too bad, so sad let's get going" Walker quickly said.

"What he said!" Milky quickly added.

"Right behind you, but first there's something I want to give you" Kimberly assured.

"Oh? What's that?" Walker asked although he already knew what it was.

"During our trivial argument I had nearly forgotten about your pay, and decided that since you did help me, and more I wanted to give you a little extra for your troubles" Kimberly announced.

Kimberly gave Walker 5000 HL in a large sack.

"U-uh really? I-I'll take it, and with that our agreement is complete!" Walker said

The group now continued their scheduled trek, but after several seconds a complication occurred.

"...Kimberly is slowing us down isn't she?" Walker muttered to himself.

Turning around they could see Kimberly struggling with her luggage, but kept a strong face as if telling them not to worry.

"*Sigh*" Walker sighed.

Moments later

"Thank you all so much for helping, but really I'm fine" Kimberly said as she watched her new teammates carried a certain amount of luggage.

"No you're not, but don't take this the wrong way we're not your pack mules, we just want to get to our destinations faster" Walker said carrying a mid-sized trunk.

"If it makes you feel even, you'll owe us favors after this" Berry Melon said pulling on a particular luggage with a handle, and a single set of four wheels underneath.

"Yes I'll hold you on to that until the timing is just right" Elfie said as she held a frilly bag in each hand.

"This curse of manual labor! Really tough!" Peach Basket complained as she carried a smaller version of Walker's trunk over her head.

"Woe is me~ reduced to doing petty chores such as this, oh how my life keeps going deeper, and deeper into the dark abyss" Lloyd said.

"I can help too you know" Milky said as she walked besides Kimberly.

"I am grateful for your assistance, but being as you are now you can't blame me for being a little cautios" Kimberly said.

"Whatever we're still allies, we'll find someway to get you over me" Milky said.

"Well I would like that too, but I-...wait I know that monster, can you all please wait a moment?" Kimberly asked as she suddenly.

"This isn't light" Walker reminded, but Kimberly was too far off to hear anything.

"You! I remember you, turn around, and face me!" Kimberly called out.

"Alright who's got the balls to-oh!" A Wood Golem said

"You remember me don't you, you're the one who squashed me last night during that crude celebration of yours!" Kimberly accused.

"Hey you're that chick that soften my landing...why'd you do it dudette? I could have taken it!" The Wood Golem asked

"I didn't do anything you crashed on top of me before I could avoid you!" Kimberly explained

"Aw~ man the frat house is gonna freak when they found out about this..." the Wood Golem realized.

"Frat house? Is that what people call a stink-hole for rude, and obnoxious monsters! ?" Kimberly argued

"Hey it's more than just a stink-hole! Lambda-sigma-rho Omega is a way of life!" The Wood Golem announced.

"That's what you call it? Those are all merely numbers in the Greek alphabet! You may as well have called it 30, 200, 100, and 800!" Kimberly tutored.

"Whoa how are you so smart? That's like really weird" The Wood Golem replied.

"Ugh, it's like talking to a tree...in any case apologize to me so we may forget about this whole thing, and move on" Kimberly practically ordered.

"Alright, alright my bad, but there's no need to tell the other about this, see it's not in our code to fight others who don't expect it, or fight back, that's for pansies, and they'll be calling me a sissy for months!" The Wood Golem explained.

"Well I suppose if that is the best apology you can give me, then I'll accept it. Now I must be off, and you must learn to watch where you're going" Kimberly at last said before walking away from the dumbfounded Wood Golem who may, or may not be seen again.

"Done?" Walker asked

"Done" Kimberly answered.

"Well let's go buy our new weapons now" Walker said feeling excited.

"But that's impossible" Kimberly suddenly said

"...Alright I'll bite...why is it impossible?" Walker asked

"Well for starters it's a weekend, and they close for two days, even tomorrow they'll be closed, and secondly, it's already getting late so even if they were open they would have been closed by now" Kimberly explained.

"So we have to wait two days until they open again, and we can buy our new equipment?" Walker asked suddenly sounding as if he's out of breath.

"I'm afraid so" Kimberly said

"...And none of you were gonna tell me" Walker suddenly said as he turned around towards his group.

"You never asked" Elfie said.

"So you did knew!" Walker caught.

"I just didn't want to disappoint you...master" Elfie suddenly proclaimed.

"The way you said master really bugs the hell out me...we're done talking let's head for home then. No more talking about this, and no more of this 'master' crap neither" Walker said.

With a change of direction that did not need a change in direction, the team headed back to their home base.

"I've been thinking that maybe having just a sign on a public board is not gonna be enough for others to know we exist" Walker said.

"True, we must do something to make ourselves more noticeable" Elfie said

"I concur, but whatever shall we do?" Kimberly asked.

"We can't do a musical that's the Glee club's thing, and they can be very competitive, and vengeful" Berry Melon said.

"Me curse anyone who not know we here! Then they know we here, and curse goes away!" Peach Basket proposed.

"Can you curse an entire town?" Lloyd asked

"...Peach Basket can try..." Peach Basket figured.

"No, no we need something that won't cause an angry mob" Elfie said

"Agreed, but right now the only thing I can think of is through word of mouth, but if all of our clients keep joining us like this then how are we going to spread the message around?" Walker said

"Car wash?" Elfie suggested.

"Someone that's not incredibly stupid please" Walker said.

"I've seen a bunch of delinquents at my school that gained lot's of attention very quickly" Berry Melon proposed

"Oh yeah? Well let's just do what they did then, explain it to me" Walker said.

"Well they picked up the litter on the streets, volunteer for random good deeds, and donated blood often" Berry Melon explained.

"And like that you lost me" Walker said.

"Just explaining all our options" Berry Melon said.

"W-we could um...I-I don't know!" Firefly cried out.

"Way to add to the idea pile" Walker said

"We could hold a poetry reading contest for everyone, and make the guild into a cafe where intellectuals, and artist can express themselves in however they choose" Lloyd said.

"That sounds really hipster...I don't want to promote that kind of lifestyle in my guild!" Walker said.

"But would you accept a hipster's aid if he were to want to join us?" Kimberly asked.

"...I might consider it, if they are any good" Walker said.

"I'll make a note of that" Lloyd said.

"Ah look here's the trail, we just follow this, and then it's home sweet home" Walker said.

"Thank goodness, it's been getting darker" Firefly said.

"Yeah don't want to make a fool out of yourself bumping into things in the dark" Walker said.

"Well that too..." Firefly said.

"I don't quite understand as to why you would place your workstation so far away from society, it's not exactly a smart idea" Kimberly said.

"Because shut up, that's why" Walker retaliated.

"Did I strike a nerve? Well I suppose this does filter some kind of negative clientele" Kimberly said.

"Sure let's go with that" Walker said.

"I wonder if we'll find that Catsaber again tonight" Berry Melon said

"That reminds me, we should really start recruiting some monsters into our clique" Milky suggested.

"I would have consulted Frederic about this, but apparently he's not coming back so I digress, do any of you have someone?" Kimberly asked

"I don't know any monsters" Walker admitted.

"I don't either" Elfie admitted.

"I got nothing" Milky said.

"...I haven't even talked to one" Lloyd said.

"Sleepy...curse of early bed time..." Peach Basket yawned.

"We could always find a Prinny, I mean some have that Evility that makes them extremely cheap to bring back to life in a clinic so they are expendable" Berry Melon said.

"...You just want to throw one don't you?" Walker caught on.

"Well if they weren't so aerodynamic then I wouldn't be so excited about throwing one" Berry Melon argued.

"Come to think of it, I think I did see a Prinny wander about through the town. He doesn't appeared to be owned currently considering then different number of Demons that keep throwing him" Walker said.

"Alright! Tomorrow we'll just take him" Berry Melon said

"Is that how it works?" Walker asked

"...Sure, why not?" Berry Melon said.

"Well see" Walker said.

"So now what do we do tomorrow? I don't suppose looking for a Prinny is gonna take all day" Milky said.

"If we're not employed for a task then we'll just go to where we'll be needed. I figure we'll split into teams, and see if we can learn anything about new jobs, places, and ways to make some HL around here." Walker said.

"I do still have my inheritance" Kimberly reminded.

"Yeah, but that's too easy. If we get by with your huge amount of HL then we'll never get stronger ourselves doing odd jobs. We'll be all bark, and no bite" Walker said.

"Your dead set on doing it the unreasonable way" Kimberly said.

"Wouldn't have it any other way" Walker said.

"Hey look I'm seeing a cluster of broken wood, and debris...oh wait it's our house" Milky joked,

"Shut up" Walker muttered.

"How can you see in this pitch darkness?" Kimberly asked

"Ooo~" Peach Basket said admiring the wooden house.

"You can't see it all that well, but maybe it's for the best, besides it looks way better inside.

"Let's hurry before our eyes adjust to the darkness" Elfie said

"Shut up" Walker repeated as he opened the door.

"Walker how did you get the lamps to light themselves?" Berry Melon asked.

The front desk room was brightly illuminated with several lamps on the wall

"Oh there's a switch that automatically turns on the lights on a certain time, I'm pretty sure it existed long before I got here" Walker explained.

"Quaint" Kimberly said.

"Well whether you feel tired, or not go get some rest, let's drop this cargo on Kimberly's new room, and I'll show you to yours Lloyd, Peach Basket" Walker explained.

"A room! A room for Peach Basket! Fill it with voodoo!" Peach Basket said.

They entered the long hallway where Walker explained which rooms were empty, and which were occupied so their choices were more restricted. Lloyd chose the room closest to the front desk door on the left side, Peach Basket chose a room next to Firefly's, and Kimberly chose a room as far away from Milky's as possible.

"Great now that that's settle do whatever you please, get a midnight snack, or go to sleep I could care less" Walker said as he retreated into his own room.

"Amazing how long the day has been" Elfie said.

"Yes...very" Milky said.

"I'm gonna make myself at home...gonna see how different it feels crying in my sleep in a different bed" Lloyd said.

"Have fun!" Berry Melon called out as Lloyd left for his room.

"Break a leg" Elfie added.

"Isn't that for something you should be saying during a theater performance, or did I get all of that wrong?" Kimberly said.

"Well I have nothing better to do, I guess I'll make a quick snack before sleeping" Elfie said completely ignoring Kimberly, and began heading towards the kitchen.

"I guess I'll go unpack then. My room is a tad smaller than what I was expecting, but it's much cleaner than I predicted too, and the personal washroom is a nice touch" Kimberly said.

"Walker told me this used to be a restaurant/hotel for a while" Berry Melon explained.

"I can tell, with a little more work it can look like a real five star resort. Perhaps this won't be so bad after all" Kimberly said as she too retreated to her new room.

"So...what do you want to do?" Milky asked Peach Basket.

"Peach Basket hungry, hungry! Meat, meat, meat!" Peach Basket said.

"I could go for some fish myself, we should have gone grocery shopping while we were out, but let's see what Elfie's cooking up" Milky said.

"I'm coming too!" Berry Melon called out.

They made their way to the dining room, the sudden smell of home cooked food filled their nostrils, and they instantly made their way to the table.

"Oh? I see the children have all come to eat with me" Elfie said in a mother-ish tone.

"We're not kids! We just suffer from stunted growth!" Berry Melon corrected.

"I need to be tiny to fit into cramped places so I can steal!" Milky added.

"Curse of petite body!" Peach Basket added slamming her tiny fists on the table excitedly.

"Well I had a hunch that some of you will be joining me so I prepared a little extra, luckily it seems like Walker has stocked up quite a bit of food here" Elfie said as she continued cooking.

"Meat, meat, meat!" Peach Basket chanted.

"Yes, yes I'm preparing you some steak as we speak" Elfie assured.

"Cake, I want cake!" Berry Melon said.

"I'll see what I can do" Elfie said.

"Fish would be nice" Milky said.

"We have fish...Sardines mostly, but that's not surprising, they're the only food around here with no tax on it for some reason" Elfie said.

After their 'light snacks' were complete the four girls enjoyed a busy, and delicious conversation, and meal in which they discuss primarily on their school life as trainee classes. Elfie would occasional brag about her considerable attention to detail whenever she would stitch a demon whether they need it, or not. Berry Melon told her tales of wining numerous cake, and ice cream eating contests, and he many pranks she pulled off during her days at Maritsu Evil Academy. Milky would tell the tales of heroes she has plundered, to kings she has stolen, and daring adventures of stealing from ancient ruins with secret treasures. Peach Basket demonstrated the many curses she has learned before her death, surprisingly the curses sounded fairly complex with intricate chants, and overly complicated incantations. She had also warned that by doing it wrong in any way would be to insult the spirits who you are calling out to, and they instead would curse you ten fold. After a while of girl gossip they waved goodnight to each other, and left for their rooms. The buildings automatic lights suddenly flickered off, and everything went quiet after the end of a very busy day. As everyone was snoozing, Kimberly suddenly awoke to realize that she had not made herself some midnight tea to help her sleep more comfortably.

"It's a little late for that, but I can make an exception just this one time" Kimberly said.

She tiptoed quietly out of her room to find a silhouette of someone also walking about at night, but her eyes had not yet adjusted to the dark.

"H-hey, what are you doing?" Kimberly whispered loudly at the shadow in front of her who had just opened a nearby door.

The being stopped, and clasped her hands to her mouth to stifle a shriek. As Kimberly walked closer to the shadow her eyes were now just focused enough to reveal that it was in fact Berry Melon.

"Oh, dear I apologize if I scared you, but I must admit it is a little odd to see you walking about so late at night." Kimberly said.

"T-that makes two of us then" Berry Melon whispered back.

"I am not weird I have simply forgot to take a late-night tea, and I currently in the process of that a little later than usual. What are you doing?" Kimberly asked again.

"I-I was just you know...doing some night-shift duties?" Berry Melon answered.

"Night-shift, but do you really have to open doors like that as well...wait isn't that Walker's room?" Kimberly asked.

"A-aren't you late enough for your tea ceremony?" Berry Melon quickly changed the topic.

"Oh good heavens you're right! I must hurry, but you should really just go back to your room Berry Melon. I highly doubt a watchman is necessary here" Kimberly instructed.

Soon after she rushed over to the guild's kitchen where she made herself some refreshing night time tea. After drinking her fill she returned to her room satisfied with yet another delicious tea, and not seeing Berry Melon along the way which meant that she must have returned to her own room by now. Kimberly slept peacefully with dreams of adventure, and friendly outing with her new friends, dreams that she had never experienced before, but was happy nonetheless.

_End of Chapter_

_If I'm taking longer than usual it only means that the chapter is longer than usual...or I'm procrastinating longer than usual. Here's the next chapter, but we still have a long way to go...gotta make room for the 20+ characters I already have in mind that will be joining the guild. Now if I can just think of 20+ different personalities for each...Thanks for the reviews, support, and most importantly, your patience._


	7. Chapter 7

_Chapter 7: Take A Breather_

_Alright! Are you ready for this? I have so many awesome things planed for this chapter, it's gonna be great!_

_Peach Basket: Curse of Writer's Block go!_

_...Huh? W-what...what the hell happened to all my ideas? Crap I can't think of anything...well. Enjoy!_

Disgaea Guild Morning.

Kimberly awoke as the sun just started to peek out from under the horizon, and the darkness turned a dull gray with a shading of light blue. She clapped twice, and the lights in her room immediately turned on. She didn't know they could do that, but it did not surprise her when it did in fact she'd be more surprised if they didn't. She rubbed her gentle eyes softly, uttering a tiny yawn as the last of the sleepiness in her system started to wear off. She looked around her room, still many things to unpacked, besides her sitting on the bed was the stuffed pony she was recently gifted from her new friends. She still had no name for it yet, but she felt today, or at least by the end of the day fate would grant her one. She did her bed as neatly as she always done, during which she wondered if she could get Walker to bring in her own mattress back at her home, but for the moment the quaint little thing would be just fine for now. After placing her gift on top of the pillows she made her way to the connected washroom thankful of the cleanliness inside, but it wasn't enough to hide her distaste when she looked at herself in the mirror (Which she also made a mental note to ask Walker to replace with her own). She was suffering from a recurring defect we all call 'bed-hair', her curls curled where they shouldn't, more hair tipped to her left rather than equal on both sides, and she had a hard time looking clearly at herself with all the loose strands covering her field of vision. She glanced at the shower besides the latrine hesitant at first, but upon closer inspection it appeared fairly white, shiny, and unused...at least for a several years. After a quick shower which we have no reason to intricately describe due to privacy issues, she wrapped herself with her personal towel she kept in a luggage which covering her entire body down to her ankles, and looked back in the washroom sink mirror. Combing her hair during her shower while applying her usual amount of shampoo, and conditioner had made it wavy, her hair reaching just below her thighs. Thus after a long blow drying session, and an even longer curling session the morning sun had completely risen, and she could hear the soft footsteps of her roommates waking up just as she had finished putting on her attire, and walked out of her room.

Firefly awoke with a start, finding herself escaping yet another nightmare made up by her own fears, and doubts. She thought to herself that hopefully nothing in her dreams would come get her in the real world, but she was always cautious. Turning around the open window revealed the splendors of nature, a vibrant array of healthy colors, mostly green which is considered a very unhealthy color in most cases as well, very strange. Already fully awake she got herself ready through her usual routine of checking, and double checking the closets, and under the bed for monsters, something she is very reluctant to do. After confirming that she was indeed alone, at least in her room she cleaned herself up, got dressed, and very quickly combed her short hair, undoing any knots, and twisting strands that may have arisen during her constant shuffling about during her sleep. During her preparations she had taken under consideration what her plans for today will be...of course serving Walker was her first priority, but other than that nothing else seems to come to mind. Usually she would be at home tending to any fault in security, perhaps she could do the same here, but it would hardly take a full day to do so. Then she remembered about Elfie's counseling, and figured it was long overdue to finally get a backbone. So with that goal in mind she left her room, and headed towards the dining/guild hall with everyone else.

Walker woke up with a grunt as he predicted that once again Berry Melon was under his blankets in a state of sleep so deep it could rival death itself. Uncaring though he got out of bed, looked outside, and let his thoughts on the first few days sink in. He was unsure of what to make of his team, but maybe it was too soon to rate them, after all they haven't had such a bad first few days. He walked across his room back, and forth stretching his arms, and shaking his head to shove the sleep out of him. Going into his bathroom he began the process of proper hygiene despite the second person in the same room. Once complete he equipped himself with all his gear, then remembered the Axe Milky had stolen from that warrior yesterday, he had no use for it, and neither did anyone else in his team. He was thinking of selling it until he realized the shops were closed today, so he instead decided upon using his storage out back to keep it out of the way of his inventory pile. Having nothing else to do, but hopeful of something happening later today that could distract him he left the room leaving Berry Melon to her undisturbed sleep for the moment.

Though it was hard to tell, Elfie was awake, and not sleepwalking, her eyes already adjusted to the bright glow of the morning sun. She stretched, and flexed her body, but there was little she could do while wearing such a long garment, and the heavy cuffs on her wrist didn't help things either. Remembering about her cuffs she looked down on them as if seeing them for the first time, and clanked them together, how she keeps forgetting to take them off before she goes to bed is beyond her, but considering how they don't disrupt her at all the thought quickly left her brain. As for what today will be bring she had no idea, nor did she really care, if she could ask for anything it would be to see new patients adorning her with attention, and just letting that feeling sink in for a while until she was satisfied. She smiled at the idea, and got herself ready with a quick shower, a quick polishing of her cuffs, a mental note to herself to actually buy polish instead of having to scrub them down with a wet towel she previously used, and left her room to prepare a breakfast for everyone, declaring herself the new chef of the guild on her own accord.

Lloyd awakens from his sleep, he is depressed as usual, everyday in his life has failed to give him reason to continue living. He has concluded that his new compatriots do not respect them, and when given the chance they will undoubtedly rob him of all his traits leaving him a empty husk of what used to be a Skull Mage. He is reminded of his books in which he shall retrieve today from his home, it is not fear of death that drives Lloyd to endless studies, time of course cannot be returned. He envisions his reaper sharpening his tool to harvest his soul in a soon to happen course of his time. Despite the healthy amount of hours he had slept, his eyes had a slight dark bag under them, possibly due to an extreme case of depression not yet recorded, or excelled at such a high amount. During his usual morning cleaning ritual he recalls a time when he was with his parents, the thought sent shivers down his spine as the ancient memory is a lingering reminder of what he once was. He sighs to himself, forcing the memory back into the corners of his mind he wears his garments, and exits his room to continue his research on the different personality traits of his so associates, which he foolishly calls companions.

Berry Melon continued to sleep, her lazy self unconsciously moving about as if searching for something to cling to. Nothing else seems to be going on, and it doesn't seem as if she'll be waking up anytime soon so...

Milky woke up as casually as the everyday Joe, but after sleeping for so long she felt wide awake, and more energized than ever. It was obvious that if it weren't for her occasional night raids she could be considered a morning person. However a good night's rest was only a partial reason why she was so excited in the early morning. She recalled back to yesterday, and realized that Walker had not commented on her being a boy for the majority of the day, which could mean that all her nagging, and subtle hints may have payed off, and he was ready to accept that. Then again he didn't exactly use the words she, or her, or miss, but maybe he was just embarrassed from such a odd mix-up. Either way Walker had given them time for themselves seeing as how they aren't doing any work for the day so she was going to spend it, and enjoy it with a vengeance. She showered herself, now feeling confident in her body she shook the wetness off herself until she realized she was given a complimentary towel by Walker. Feeling slightly embarrassed, but happy no one was around to see her habit she donned her cat gear while giving her goggles a good wiping, reminding herself to actually use them for once as she left her room to head towards the main hall.

Even asleep, if you're real quiet, and real close you can hear Peach Basket utter an assortment of incantations, hexes, and curses. Wishing for the suffering of others whether they be enemies, or allies, to her the only thing that matters is her feelings on the subject. To a demon, human, or angel the curse of a Shaman is similar in every way, but of course the opposite can be said of that of Peach Basket. The curses she was whispering unconsciously were filled with adoration, and respect of her new pack, or clan as some of her kind would call it. The curses she shall present will be a gift to her new allies, while to the rest of society they shall be a trap. To wish misfortune, and misery is how they pray to their God of Despair. She woke herself up mid-chant, and hopped out of bed, she never recalled what curses she had cast, or whether they even worked, or not, still stared at the morning sun with a smiling, evil grin, and a piercing stare that could have frightened someone if she didn't appear like such a cute little girl. Feeling the pangs of hunger hit her large stomach through her tiny tummy, she decided that a shower was not needed, and combing her hair is just plain ridiculous when she occasionally wears a large skull on her head. She ran out of her room to greet her friends with new friendly curses.

Oddly enough everyone had opened their doors almost simultaneously, exiting towards the same hallway together.

"Morning" Milky said.

"We know it's morning" Elfie reminded.

"I'm pretty sure she was greeting you...Elfie was it?" Kimberly said.

"Well while we're all here, I'm gonna need your help waking up Berry Melon" Walker announced.

"Again?" Elfie said.

"Is this gonna be a constant thing?" Milky wondered.

"Unfortunately yes, unless she somehow wakes up on her own sometime soon" Walker said.

"Well it is her own fault for staying up so l-" Kimberly began until Elfie's hand suddenly covered her mouth.

"What's going on between you two?" Walker said sounding exhausted of their shenanigans already.

"Let's keep that part a secret for now, trust me" Elfie whispered close to her ear.

"I didn't know we were suppose to keep it a secret" Firefly whispered close to Kimberly's other ear.

"D-don't breathe so heavily like that when you whisper you two" Kimberly said.

"Relax I'm a girl, girls can get away with doing stuff like this to other girls" Elfie assured.

"I'm fairly certain they don't" Kimberly argued.

"Who's the honest one here?" Elfie said.

"How am I suppose to know that?" Kimberly said.

"Oh yeah, you're new here...you see I'm the honest one" Elfie blankly said.

"*Ahem*" Walker interrupted.

"Tell her, tell her I'm the honest one" Elfie implored.

"I can already tell this is gonna be an awkward conversation...We're gonna continue this elsewhere, in the meantime...Lloyd, Peach Basket, Milky go wake Berry Melon up" Walker ordered.

"But I did it yesterday!" Milky complained.

"Yeah well they didn't, and I need someone with experience to show them how it's done, the rest of us will meet you at the Guild hall" Walker ordered as he, Kimberly, Firefly, and Elfie left for the kitchen.

"They're just making us do the work because we're shorter than them" Milky said.

"Is it that bad?" Lloyd said.

"Curse of sleep! Classic, used in fairy tales a lot! Need kiss of handsome prince to undo curse!" Peach Basket explained.

"I don't think it's like that Peach Basket, she woke up all the other times, we just need to be a little more extreme than a alarm clock" Milky explained.

"Curse of loud ringing!*Bzzt*,*bzzt*,*bzzt*!" Peach Basket buzzed, imitating a electric alarm clock.

"Yeah like that, but save it for when we get there" Milky said as they headed towards Walker's bedroom.

"What do we need to do?" Lloyd ask with zero confidence.

"Plan, plan, plan!" Peach Basket repeated.

"I-I don't know, I'm a little new at this, but I'm open to suggestions" Milky said as they entered Walker's bedroom.

Meanwhile

"I have zero confidence in them, I'm going to wake her up myself after breakfast" Walker announced

"We are so superior to them, ohohoho~" Elfie playfully teased.

"I would think that was very arrogant of you if you didn't say it so humorously" Kimberly said.

"W-what if she never wakes up a-and we have to live life without a red mage!" Firefly panic.

"Sounds like you put no thought in that" Walker said.

"I wonder what's for diner?" Elfie asked out loud in a gruff voice.

"It's morning Elfie...that means breakfast right?" Firefly said suddenly feeling very confused.

"Why are you asking us? I was expecting you, or somebody else to provide" Kimberly said.

"You're not the least bit curious about the way she said it...*sigh* never mind" Walker said.

"Very well I shall prepare a delicious breakfast for all of us" Elfie said.

"Good, for a second there I thought your head was malfunctioning" Walker said.

"Can't a girl have a little fun?" Elfie asked with an innocent look on her face.

"You know, looking at you like that...I think I'll join you in the preparations, just to be on the safe side" Walker said.

"Aw~ Walker you want to spend time with me" Elfie said looking bashful

"Really starting to hope you're getting the hang of lying, and I just haven't noticed" Walker muttered darkly in his breath.

"In that case I shall prepare the beverages, don't wish to be dead-weight after all" Kimberly said.

"I don't want to be dead-weight, p-please let me do something!" Firefly pleaded.

"We'll think of something" Walker assured.

Elsewhere

"I don't believe it! How is she still asleep?" Milky cried out loud.

"She not affected by insomnia curse on her face!" Peach Basket shouted in a frenzy.

"So that's what it was? It looks more like a bunch of doodles with the word 'owned' in bold letters on her forehead" Lloyd noticed.

"Not true! Raccoon mask around eyes too!" Peach Basket argued flailing her black marker about.

"Are you really a Shaman?" Milky wondered.

"Well I don't mind returning back a failure, it's the norm for me by now" Lloyd said.

"Well I do, we need to come up with something" Milky said.

"Oaah~" Peach Basket groaned, deep in thought.

"Maybe she's prone to cold things? She looks pretty snugged with that warm blanket on her" Milky said.

"I suppose that's where I come in" Lloyd said.

"Right on time no less" Milky remarked.

"So where do I hit her?" Lloyd asked

"Well we don't want to hurt her, so maybe we could just-" Milky began

"Everywhere!" Peach Basket shouted

Lloyd chanted quickly under his breath, and soon a chill in the air surrounded the group, and a body of ice formed around Berry Melon before shattering, blasting everyone with freezing ice shards. Berry Melon woke up instantly the blast of ice chilling her body even under the blankets as everyone else took cover under the bed

"C-c-c-col-l-ld!" Berry Melon shivered.

"Is is it over?" Milky wondered.

"You think Walker would mind all the ice in his room?" Lloyd asked

"Blame cold on summer snowstorm!" Peach Basket proposed

"Because that's believable" Milky sarcastically remarked.

"S-s-s-so c-c-c-cold!" Berry Melon went on

"So just cast a fire spell, you are a red mage aren't you?" Milky reminded.

"R-r-r-r-right!" Berry Melon stammered as she began to focus her magic.

Elsewhere

"Did you guys hear something, from just behind the walls?" Walker suddenly asked as they set the food on the table.

"Must be your schizophrenia acting up" Elfie assured.

"I don't have schizophrenia!" Walker angrily declared.

"Oh darn, I always wanted to treat someone like that...oh well" Elfie said.

"Don't diagnose me with random diseases, and disabilities! Just because you tell the truth doesn't mean everything you say will eventually be truth" Walker reminded.

"Yes sir" Elfie pouted.

"What was it you heard Walker?" Kimberly asked.

"Like rapid tapping on the wall, but it ended so quickly, and everywhere all at once...what the heck are those kids doing there?" Walker wondered.

"You know they are only children physically" Kimberly reminded.

"I know, I know they are over a hundred years old, but that's still pretty young in demon years" Walker said.

"Excuse me, miss Firefly, you can stop hiding in the refrigerator now, it's alright" Kimberly urged as she notice the walk in refrigerator was slightly ajar, and Firefly was peaking through the crack opening.

"Yeah, it's no big deal, it's not like whatever I heard is just suddenly come at us-" Walker was saying.

Suddenly the doors to the dining room flung open, and out came Berry Melon, Lloyd, Peach Basket, and Milky screaming at the top of their lungs, and flailing about in a frenzy as if the end of the world was coming...because they were on fire.

"I don't even want to know, put them out!" Walker shouted.

"I can't I don't have enough spit!" Elfie cried out.

"Damn it! Firefly get your ass in here, and put out those flames with magic, or something!" Walker roared

Firefly rushed out of the refrigerator, and muttered incompressible gibberish that demons call spells, and a wave of cool wind blew across, and around the entire room like a really wide twister, flinging the little running bodies this way while their flames burned out at the cost of them crashing either on the floor, and walls. The food miraculous stayed on the table, and even on their plates, as if nothing has happened. Even the scribbles on Berry Melon's face had disappeared, though if it was because of the burns, or Elfie's spit was anyone's guess.

"Well thank goodness that the food is still here, but I'm afraid the wind may have cooled them off a bit too much, but excellent job nonetheless" Kimberly said.

"I'm just g-glad I didn't mess up...too bad" Firefly sighed with relief.

"I think we should worry more about the smoldering teammates across the room" Walker said.

"No problem, I may not have enough spit to put out a raging fire, but I do have enough to cure them of their injuries" Elfie assured.

"Go do it, maybe being spat on could teach them a lesson" Walker said as he sat down the table on a random seat of your choosing.

Elfie began the process of curing her allies, spitting at their comically charred bodies which made them appear like oversized, twitching pieces of charcoal...it's okay to laugh they'll make a full recovery. After their full recovery they took their places on the remaining empty chairs.

"The food's a little cold" Walker muttered.

"Well I coul-" Berry Melon was saying.

"No!" Everyone minus Firefly, Kimberly, and Lloyd shouted.

Berry Melon reeled back in a defensive positioned, and nibble silently on her food of seasoned pork-chops, eggs, and hash browns.

"Nice weather we're having..." Kimberly awkwardly spoke after the moment of silence.

"It's alright" Walker muttered.

"Did you see the new baby pandas at the zoo?" Elfie suddenly asked.

"Where do you come up with these sorts of questions?" Walker wondered out loud.

"There's always the occasional baby panda at some zoo somewhere, I wasn't lying. Just asking an honest question" Elfie defended.

"I don't even know a zoo near here that would keep baby pandas" Walker said.

"That is a little strange don't you think? No zoo's in the netherworld?" Elfie said.

"That's because most of the living things here talk, and a zoo here would be more like an open apartment complex for demons who don't mind living outside" Walker said.

"Did...did you actually put some thought into this?" Kimberly asked.

Walker refused to comment.

"Well in any case I'm glad that the tea I have prepared is still piping hot" Kimberly said.

"What is this amber tea anyways?" Milky asked in a vague attempt to sound upper class unintentionally.

"It's aged Pu-erh tea I had delivered to me from an ancient tea forest. Steeped it for five minutes at about 200 degrees Fahrenheit, and as you can already tell it has a very natural taste to it. You could almost feel mother nature embracing you with her gentle arms, and soft bosom, or picture yourself in an ancient forest wandering the unexplored terrain searching yourself.

"I kind of taste a bit of artichoke in this" Walker commented.

"Yes well...some people with unrefined taste do comment on the very faint taste of artichoke, but rest assure I used only leaves, but even so, to taste the artichoke you would need very sensitive taste buds...perhaps your life calling was to sample tea?" Kimberly said.

"I just said what I tasted is all" Walker muttered soon after biting down a huge piece of pork.

"You should see him when he's comparing sarsaparilla root beer, he can find the slightest fault in any drink, and complain about it" Berry Melon told.

"If they don't make it right, especially if I paid for it, then damn right I'm gonna complain" Walker said.

"I understand your passion perfectly! It is an insult to be served faulty tea...or sarsaparilla" Kimberly added.

"Exactly!" Walker said seeing Kimberly as if for the first time.

"Well Walker I do hope your love of sarsaparilla does not become a addiction" Elfie said.

"Addiction, and passion are two different things" Walker stated.

"Me want sarsaparilla now!" Peach Basket announced.

"Welcome to the guild Peach Basket" Walker welcomed.

"I heard that very few countries sell the drink anymore" Elfie said.

"Ah yes the one thing that I cared to know when I was studying humans...they stopped selling it everywhere almost as if they were too good for it-bah! No wonder they turn out either really weak, or really fat, no sarsaparilla to give them a man's body" Walker said.

"But your throwing range is equal to Kimberly's, and mine" Elfie muttered.

"What?" Walker asked.

"What?" Elfie repeated.

"So where are we going today?" Milky asked.

"I'm going to do nothing productive all day" Berry Melon said.

"I've got a business to run, someone got to keep this place alive" Walker said.

"I have things I must retrieve from my home...horrible things" Lloyd said.

"Sound fun! I wanna go!" Peach Basket declared.

"There really isn't any point in me exploring the town, as there is staying here...I suppose I'll follow one of you on your field trips" Kimberly said.

"Fine it's decided do whatever you want, just don't make this guild look bad" Walker said.

"Now you're just asking too much from us" Elfie said.

"I'm hoping you guys can cope with the challenge" Walker said.

"Well there is this ice tea I've been curious about all night, I suppose that's one way I can spend my day" Kimberly said.

"I think they have ice tea at that cake shop Walker took me a while ago, I'll come with you" Berry Melon said.

"Don't spend all your earnings at once there" Walker warned.

"Hm~ mind if I tag along?" Milky asked.

"So long as you stand on the opposite side of next to Berry Melon when we walk then no I don't...no offense" Kimberly said.

"*Sigh* okay, it's a deal" Milky reluctantly agreed.

"Walker me, and Firefly would like to accompany you to wherever it is you'll go" Elfie suddenly said.

"I do?" Firefly asked herself.

"You're not gonna diagnose me are you?" Walker suspiciously asked.

"...I can't lie the thought has occurred several times" Elfie admitted.

"Just keep it to yourself, and we have a deal" Walker said.

"Of course, did you hear that Firefly? We get to be his concubines today" Elfie joked.

"W-what!" Firefly shouted in a panic.

"Elfie~" Walker groaned in disappointment.

"Just kidding, just kidding...well if everyone is finished I suppose we should say our 'see you laters'" Elfie said.

"Food! Yum!" Peach Basket exclaimed.

"It was rather scrumptious, and with large part due to my exquisite tea choice" Kimberly said.

"I had mostly juice though" Berry Melon stated.

"Well...it still helped" Kimberly said.

They scrubbed their plates clean after breakfast, complaining about the lack of a Prinny to do so for them. They let themselves finish so they could leave all together until Walker had a sudden reminder.

"You guys go on without me, I want to dump this lousy axe at the storage we have out back" Walker said.

"We'll follow you there" Elfie said.

"...Fine" Walker reluctantly agreed

Splitting apart from the group Walker, Firefly, and Elfie walked around the building. Elfie, and Firefly were chatting senseless behind Walker's back, while Walker tried his very best to ignore them. It didn't help matters when they two would occasional take quick peek at him.

"Elfie shut up" Walker at last muttered.

"Sorry did you want to say something?" Elfie asked.

"I'm not the chatterbox kind of Gunner" Walker said.

"That explains why you seldom join our conversations" Elfie said.

"I get frightened at the thought of saying something I shouldn't have" Firefly said.

"Well I do have a question for you Elfie" Walker said.

"My measurements?" Elfie asked

"W-what no! Quit acting like one of them...what are they called again, Empusa?" Walker asked.

"That is one type yes" Elfie assured.

"Yeah quit acting like that, you're a Healer" Walker said.

"Well to be honest I didn't start out as a Healer...I was a Lilim for a few hundred years, then reincarnated, and trained to become a Healer" Elfie revealed.

"That explains a lot, but why do you suddenly switch classes like that? The only time I'll want to reincarnate into is a Sniper, and so on like that" Walker said.

"Why do any of us do so? I suppose with our huge life spans, living with a body for so long would get tiring. If given the choice would someone who has spent a hundred years in an aging body reincarnate into something fresh, and new, or would they continue with their same body as if it were a prison?" Elfie asked.

"If you ask me it depends on the person, if they give up their bodies so easily then what makes them think that having a second new one would be any different. Frankly I'd prefer to push the boundaries of my Gunner race, and I'm not slowing down any time soon." Walker said.

"I don't like change" Firefly simply said.

"Well when you put it like that, then maybe I will stick with being a healer after all" Elfie said.

"You were thinking of reincarnating?" Walker asked.

"Well I came upon more Mana in our fights, why not use them?" Elfie said.

"You could be using them to power yourself up now, learn some new moves, anything to give us an edge...speaking of I think I could learn something myself" Walker said as they reached the walk in storage shed.

"It's not gonna be dusty, old, and rotten inside is it?" Elfie asked.

"This place is clean from the inside out, I saw to it to that, and it wasn't easy considering it was as big as a small house" Walker said.

"Did the air suddenly turn cold?" Elfie asked.

"It's probably just a morning breeze, let me just quickly put this in a rack somewhere, and we can go." Walker said.

"Oh~ that flower looks so nice, it really sticks out among the grass" Firefly said spotting a wild Tulip besides the storage house.

"I think it's a Tulip, but that can't be right, flowers don't grow naturally in the Netherworld, unless a Alraune is involved." Elfie said.

"You don't suppose there's one here?" Firefly asked.

"Looking at this flower it's definitely recent, half a week tops since this flower was born. The Alraune can't have gone far, and even in a thick forest they still stick out" Elfie said.

Walker ignored the pretend detectives, and opened the double doors. Almost instantly an apparition appeared in front of him in a cloud of smoke.

"Boo!" The apparition shouted.

Walker's entire reaction to this apparition in one second.

0-200 milliseconds- Walker reacts in shock, loading girly shout.

200-300 milliseconds- Walker realizes apparition is merely a Ghost Monster class, girly shout now pending.

300-500 milliseconds- Walker's examination of it's equipment, level, and stats reveal Ghost is no threat, girly shout canceled.

500-800 milliseconds- Walker begins combative response for poor attempt at frightening him, 'jackass', 'moron', 'loser', and 'failure' all pending use.

800-1000 milliseconds- Walker prepares for first contact speech.

This concludes Walker's entire reaction to the apparition in one second.

"What the hell were you trying to do moron?" Walker asked.

"I-I was just trying to do my-" the Ghost nervously said.

"Have you been living in there? Without paying rent too?" Walker accused.

"Rent? N-no that's not-" the Ghost.

"Wait before you explain yourself, I'm gonna put something in here. Why don't you wait outside" Walker ordered.

"Well okay sure" the Ghost said.

Floating out of the way he waited outside while Walter turned the lights on, and walked towards a suitable rack to place the axe in, leaving the Ghost with the two girls curiously staring at it.

"...I don't suppose you two are scared of me are you?" The Ghost asked.

They both shook their heads.

The ghost sighed in disappointment as Walker came back.

"Alright, so my associate here could be included in this conversation because I know she'll want to say her part, I'm gonna need you to introduce yourself" Walker said.

"Well...my name is Limbo, and as you can see, I'm a ghost" Limbo said.

"Limbo, the plane between life, and afterlife...it suits you" Elfie complimented

"R-really? I thought so too, but it did nothing to help me with my job" Limbo said.

"You mentioned something about a job before, can you be more specific?" Walker asked

"Well as a ghost, and a demon I play an important role in frightening people, but as you can see..." Limbo began.

"You're a failure at it" Walker stated.

If Limbo had a mouth it would be frowning right now.

"Don't worry about it, we just happen to have someone with us that can help you cope with being a failure" Elfie said.

"I don't want to cope, I want to improve" Limbo said.

"Well try not to suck so much then, come on girls we gotta stop the rest of our team from giving us a bad look" Walker said.

"As you wish, come on Limbo we need to introduce you to the rest of the team" Elfie said.

"Whoa, whoa why do you suddenly include him-her...it into our group like that?" Walker asked.

"Were else is he gonna go?" Elfie said.

"We did say we could have used more monsters a while back" Firefly realized.

"*Sigh* I hate it when you guys use my own words against me, fine he can join, we'll find a room for Limbo, but you can't stay in the storage shed" Walker said.

"Don't I get a say in this?" Limbo asked.

"Not when you're freeloading no" Walker assured.

With their sudden new teammate the group began their walk through the single dirt road to meet up with the rest of their team.

Lloyd, and Peach Basket

"This is what my house looks like on the inside" Lloyd began as they entered his abode.

"Smell fear, and self loathing. Love it!" Peach Basket declared.

"I see my suffering brings you joy, this is going to be delightful" Lloyd muttered sadly to himself.

"Can smell curse items, gonna look, find curse dolls!" Peach Basket said.

"There on a shelf somewhere, I'll just start packing things...alone" Lloyd said.

"Untouched? Not used?" Peach Basket called out.

"...I had no need for them, they looked collectible...until I found out they weren't, there went several years of my life I won't be getting back" Lloyd said.

"Dolls curse you before they worked? Must be special! Peach Basket want them!" Peach Basket exclaimed as she at last found them on a tall shelf, on the middle counter.

"...Take them, you'll make better use of them than me...of course they wouldn't even work for me, they are unresponsive, and make terrible companions" Lloyd said.

"Happy! Curse dolls mine! Give curse doll after I done with them! Everyone gets one!" Peach Basket announced as she began swiping at the blank sacks with demon human bodies.

"How does that work?" Lloyd asked.

"Me make them look like us! Me chant hex! Me use body part to complete! Curse doll now works" Peach Basket explained.

"Body parts? You don't mean..." Lloyd began.

"Hair, spit, nails, anything from clan member! Then give to everyone, curse everyone! Me happy, you happy!" Peach Basket said.

"If you say so, but you must excuse me if I'm skeptical in these actually cheering me up" Lloyd said.

"Wait, and see, wait, and see!" Peach Basket assured.

"Well if you say so...I suppose another curse to live with won't make much of a difference to my life" Lloyd said.

"Now you thinking with curses!" Peach Basket said.

"I'm packed here, my inventory is full, perhaps we should join the others...although I doubt they'll be happy to see us" Lloyd said.

"They be happy! Happy to see me with curse dolls!" Peach Basket assured.

"I believe Berry Melon was dragging everyone to a nearby cake shop...where would that be?" Lloyd said.

"Why ask me?" Peach Basket said.

"Perhaps we'll see them along the way" Lloyd said.

"See red mage stuff her face!" Peach Basket said.

"That would be hard to miss" Lloyd said.

"Ooah~" Peach Basket moaned as she noticed a small full body photo of a demon woman wearing very little clothing, but Peach Basket could easily identify the class.

"Oh I forgot about that...I wish I could say the same for my tragedies" Lloyd said.

"Summer Idol! Me friends with Idol long ago! We love Idols...Onmyo monks cool too" Peach Basket declared.

"Is that so? But you are complete opposites" Lloyd reminded.

"We discuss secrets to each other, use secrets against each other, learn new secrets from using secrets on each other, learn more curses that way! They learn things too, all happy!" Peach Basket explained.

"So it's like a yin-yang thing?" Lloyd dully asked.

"...Me not know that...We all happy, no problem, keep learning curses!" Peach Basket said.

"So long as you're both getting something out of it, it doesn't change? She thought that way too, it did nothing for me" Lloyd said.

"You keep picture...you miss clan member?" Peach Basket asked.

"No...she gives them out to all her clients, says to give it to someone who makes movies, or owns music studio so she can be recognized" Lloyd explained.

"Ooah~" Peach Basket groaned.

"Exactly" Lloyd said as they left the building.

Berry Melon, Kimberly, and Milky heading towards a cake shop.

"I know I only visited once, but it's been so long since I had a frosted cake, and so far that's the only place to get some here" Berry Melon excitedly.

"How are you still skinny?" Milky asked.

"...I'm a red mage, I have to have a petite body, or else I won't be a red mage" Berry Melon explained.

"That doesn't make any sense, though I doubt you'll give us a more reasonable explanation when you are so excited about snacks" Kimberly said.

"I've been waiting for a day to use my hard earned HL on something, and besides getting new leggings this is it" Berry Melon said.

"Didn't you die during a fight, technically you didn't really do much compared to me who lived through the fights" Milky said.

"Can't hear you over my adorableness!" Berry Melon shouted

"That's funny, I am far more adorable than you, and I can hear her perfectly fine" Kimberly said.

"No I am! I say all the cute things in this guild!" Berry Melon argued.

"What cute things? Normally mages like you would say foolhardy things like 'bonk' or 'magic, magica, magi' not offering fire for the fire god" Kimberly stated.

"I'm an individual, and that makes me cute, what do you say?" Berry Melon asked

"Well I...uh, well I say things like 'shoot', or 'please hit', but it's all self conscious of course, I can't stop myself from saying them" Kimberly quickly defended.

"Cat got your tongue?" Milky said.

"I really hope, for our alliance that you don't mean that literally" Kimberly said.

"No, no of course not, I would never steal from my friends...I'll think about it a lot though" Milky stated.

"Well that puts me on a strained ease" Kimberly said.

"A face full of cake will fix that right up" Berry Melon said.

"No thanks, I'll be quite alright with a cup of tea if you don't mind" Kimberly said.

"Iced tea coming right up then! It's just a little further now" Berry Melon said.

"Stop teasing me about this Iced tea you seem to know so much about. By the way, what samplings of Iced tea will they have available? Orange Pekoe, Darjeeling, Earl Grey? You must tell me" Kimberly said getting excited.

"Raspberry, orange, lemon, strawberry...maybe even apple!" Berry Melon said.

"Oh...I see, well tea is tea even with such...normal ingredients. I shall find a way to enjoy it" Kimberly said.

"There I see it! There's the owner too! The Heavy Knight" Berry Melon called out.

"Strange for a store owner to be outside his shop during work hours" Kimberly said.

"Looks like a crowd gathering maybe something's up?" Milky said.

"Oh no, I sense a disturbance in the cakes" Berry Melon muttered.

Despite the slight feeling of dread Berry Melon was feeling they continued in a normal pace, eventually more, and more demons began showing up, but they never got close between the Heavy Knight, and in front of him three equally angry looking demons. A Togabito, Barbarian, and a Gargoyle, many of the spectating demons kept several yards away from them, as if waiting for a grid to pop up any minute, and sure enough the Heavy Knight shouted in a loud, but noble voice "Battle Start!" A grid beginning to spread soon afterward. The demons watching retreated to safe distances, not wanting to get involved because once one enters a grid, only through victory, or defeat can they get out. The guild quickened their pace, and by the time they were at the edge of the grid, on the Heavy Knight's side they saw that it was still his turn.

"What's going on?" Berry Melon asked more worried for the pastries rather than the Heavy Knight.

"I must ask thee to stand aside little girl, this fight is mine, and mine alone" the Heavy Knight declared.

"When snacks are involved it becomes my fight...snacks are involved right?" Berry Melon asked.

"Among other things, yes, that is correct" the Heavy Knight said.

"Who dares fight against all things sweet, and delicious?" Berry Melon asked, slowly losing her calm.

"I repeat young girl, this is more than just sweets, those demons over there belong to a faction that still retain to an ancient, and dead belief that all demons must destroy humans, and angels, and forbid the use of any items, or tools created by them." The Heavy Knight explained.

"You mean tea kettles, cups, household cleaning appliances, and electricity?" Kimberly said.

"They believe that such things only weakens the demon spirit, and that we must all abide in impossible to live environments, and feast upon defeated heroes, and passing humans only" the Heavy Knight explained.

"How barbaric!" Milky exclaimed.

"They feel my business is a disgrace, and that feeding demons sweets is considered an act of kindness. Not knowing the many health hazards it could cause demons such as diabetes, and toothaches from cavities." The Heavy Knight explained.

"Is that why you're running this shop! ?" Milky cried out.

"Only a strong demon who fears no pain, or illness could devour so many sweets, I understand your reasoning, and wish to assist you" Berry Melon spoke out in the most serious tone she has ever been heard speaking in.

"Your assistance is appreciated, but I do not wish any harm on a bystander such as yourself" the Heavy Knight respectfully declined.

"You forget that when they messed with my treats, they made it my business!" Berry Melon exclaimed.

"I see I cannot dissuade you, very well enter the grid, and serve under my temporary leadership." The Heavy Knight said.

"Come on girls!" Berry Melon urged as she entered the battle grid, and stood next to the Heavy Knight.

"If we must, perhaps Walker would come by, and assist us if we hold them off long enough" Kimberly said as she equipped her Wooden Bow.

"If I help you're buying my share of the cake" Milky said.

"Of course, now come on!" Berry Melon urged.

"I am Aegis" the Heavy Knight introduced himself.

"My name is Berry Melon, sweets connoisseur" Berry Melon said.

"Hearing you say connoisseur like that over side dishes had made me give second thoughts about this, but I never go back on my word. You may call me Kimberly" Kimberly said as she stood on Aegis left hand side.

"I'm just suppose to be a simple thief, nothing more, why am I fighting in most of these battles...*sigh* just call me Milky" Milky said standing just behind Aegis, and the go through barricade of the grid.

"We are all well met, now we must do battle, to live, or die we should soon discover our fate!" Aegis roared as he equipped his Bardiche spear.

_End of Chapter_

_Finally got some time out of studying, you know trying memorize the parts, and controls of a plane is more life threatening than you think so I had to study hard. Well I believe this would be the last time (at least for a while) that I'll have you guys wait so long for a chapter. Figured 1000 words a day for seven days per chapter is good enough. Thank you for your patience (especially today), reviews, and support. _


	8. Chapter 8

_Chapter 8: So Much For That Breather_

_So~ anyone got something funny to say?_

_Kimberly: No, but I do wish to educate the masses on the intricate instructions on how to prepare tea._

_...Maybe when you get you're own chapter...maybe. Enjoy!_

At the dirt trail

"How are we understanding you?" Firefly asked.

"What do you mean?" Limbo asked.

"Well it's the way you talk, no offense" Firefly said.

"Hey yeah! I mean all your doing is going haa~, ooh~, aah~" Elfie said imitating the sounds Limbo is making.

"Oh that, well that's how most ghosts speak during the first couple hundred years. It is true that some of us learn to speak as you, but when we already know every-demon can understand us we simply don't bother trying to speak in your tongue" Limbo explained.

"That don't explain nothing. How are we subconsciously translating your moans, and groans?" Walker said.

"...Magic?" Limbo poorly explained.

"Of course, everyone's favorite scapegoat is back with a vengeance" Walker muttered in disappointment.

"Now it's my turn to ask the questions, who are you demons?" Limbo asked.

"My name Elfie, I'm the healer, medic, nurse, counselor, cook, and team sex symbol" Elfie said.

"Ignore that last part she's a former Lilim, but mostly a honest healer...too honest in my books, and way too honest by demon standards." Walker said

"I-I'm Firefly...Magic Knight" Firefly said.

"Also team coward, and sex symbol replacement for when I'm not around" Elfie said.

"Am I going to have to revoke your speaking privileges Elfie?" Walker warned

"Sorry I'll go back to teen appropriate" Elfie apologized.

"Coward? Yet I don't scare even you?" Limbo asked.

"Too be honest I find you ghosts kind of...cute, and it's not just me-" Firefly began.

"Many demons find you adorable, we figured it was just one of life's horrible sense of humor, like how Slimes can't swim" Elfie said.

"I-I like to think of it as more of a challenge!" Limbo argued.

"You keep telling yourself that" Walker encouraged poorly.

"What's everyone's jobs here?" Limbo said quickly wanting to change subjects

"Basically, we're all collaborating into helping achieve Walker's dream-" Elfie began

"Life goal!" Walker corrected

"While in the process achieving our own personal goals that we were too lazy to accomplish before joining him" Elfie explained.

"So by joining you, I could become frightening?" Limbo asked.

"Elfie made up that last part, but if it makes you more useful in a fight then by all means go for it" Walker said.

"Fight huh...I'm more of a preemptive strike kind of ghost" Limbo said.

"I glimpsed at your skills, and you seem to have at least one fire spell, and special skill. We'll suit you up to the front lines once the stores open" Walker assured.

"Would that make me scary?" Limbo asked.

"To be honest, you ghost demons are the least frightening out of all of us" Elfie said.

"Not true! Humans have feared spirits since the beginning" Limbo argued.

"I don't know, it's more, or less shock rather than fear don't you think?" Elfie said.

"Are you saying everyone is bored of us?" Limbo asked.

"We're saying that you pulled that whole poltergeist schtick to death already...no pun intended" Elfie said.

"Even I wasn't at all scared, surprised, but not scared...sorry" Firefly admitted.

"Then what good am I" Limbo asked himself.

"Another one...look. Do you want to know the sure fire thing that people are afraid of?" Walker asked.

"There is something that everyone is frightened of?" Limbo asked.

"Since the beginning of time" Walker assured.

"Tell me...tell me!" Limbo frantically asked.

"Simple it's just one word...power" Walker revealed.

"Power...?" Limbo said.

"People are scared of those with lot's of power. Sure you get those that respect you for it, but most of the time, it's driven only by fear. You defeat your enemies in a fight, make sure they know who you are, and they'll tell the story to everyone. You become your own antagonist in a horror story" Walker explained.

"Is that so? What you say holds truth...Even I yield to those far stronger" Limbo said.

"So join us, and become stronger, I'm only inviting because we don't want to seem like an anti-monster group." Walker said.

"Fair enough, though it was all so sudden I accept your invitation" Limbo agreed.

"Welcome to what could be your best decision, or your worst" Elfie said.

"S-she's joking right?" Limbo nervously asked.

"She's the honest one remember?" Walker hinted.

"Look I see the clearing" Firefly pointed out.

"So soon, how quickly were we walking?" Walker asked.

"We were following your pace" Elfie reminded.

"Oh yeah, I forgot we left everyone to explore town without my supervision" Walker said.

"They'll be fine Walker" Elfie assured.

"I got a bad feeling in the pit of my wallet, we might see Matilda at the clinic again today I'm afraid" Walker said.

Meanwhile, several yards away, and just out of Walker's field of vision.

"Need spear!" Peach Basket declared.

"Oh? Don't you Shamans work better with staffs?" Lloyd dully asked.

"Spear better at stirring curse potions!" Peach Basket explained.

"...I thought-" Lloyd began.

"Also good at physical curses! Poke, poke, poke!" Peach Basket finished.

"As bad luck would have it, all the weapon, and armor shops are closed for two days" Lloyd explained.

"Ooah~ curse of bad timing" Peach Basket said

"That seems to be the case for you, for me it's fate that bound you to me that caused your world to begin it's spiral into despair" Lloyd said.

"Me strong! Peach Basket can take spiral! Curse it! Hex it!" Peach Basket assured.

"I've never heard of someone trying to curse a spiral of despair before...it just might be crazy enough to work" Lloyd muttered to himself.

"Speak up! Talk soft, your will is soft, makes you soft!" Peach Basket scolded.

"I can't help it, I have no defense, almost no health, and in a twisted sense of irony, my magic can't reach my targets from a far enough distance that will keep me safe...even with a staff" Lloyd explained.

"Hahaha! Blue Skull life funny! Me like hearing Blue Skull stories" Peach Basket laughed out loud.

"*Sigh* If I weren't so distracted by that square shaped crowd blocking our path I would be in a much more extreme state of depression" Lloyd muttered to himself.

"Curious...ooah~ maybe curse gathering!" Peach Basket said hopefully.

"No it's just another public fight, I wonder what poor souls are forced to fight for their pathetic lives" Lloyd wondered.

Walking several feet later they got an answer.

"H-hey is that Lloyd, and Peach Basket! ? Hey! Lloyd, Peach Basket, get over here!" Berry Melon cried out.

"Clan Members? Fighting to death?" Peach Basket realized

"Somehow I knew it would come to this...maybe we should help them" Lloyd suggested.

"You help, me watch, curse you for support" Peach Basket said.

"Hm~ perhaps it's for the best, you are under-equipped" Lloyd realized.

"No, me just feeling lazy" Peach Basket corrected.

"Well our chat was quite unpleasant, we should do this again never" Lloyd muttered as he entered the grid, and stood next to Milky.

"I suppose this conjurer of spells belongs to your party?" Aegis asked.

"That's right his name is Lloyd, and he suffers from depression!" Berry Melon declared brightly.

"Will that make him any less capable in a fight?" Aegis asked.

"Emotional scarring has no effect on spells whatsoever. My spells are only as strong as my equipment, and level, both of which are not impressive to say the least" Lloyd explained.

"Regardless another soldier is always welcomed on my side." Aegis said.

"You rotten, soft wimps take too long! I want to smash you now!" The Barbarian class growled.

"You don't want to keep us waiting, it'll only make your suffering more horrendous!" The Togabito class exclaimed.

"Once we destroy all these filthy human sympathizers, we'll destroy this stupid as hell turn based system they so foolishly created!" The Gargoyle threatened.

"Dear me, they wish to remove such a beautifully intricate fighting style from existence? Frankly I see no problem in fighting like this" Kimberly said.

"These guys have a lot of health, and even a high defense to boot" Milky realized.

"Yes, but they resistance to magic is very low, I cannot reach them with my speed, but perhaps one of you may be able to toss me closer. All I need are an extra three squares to reach them in a single turn, then the rest can follow behind me, and chip away at the villain's health" Aegis said.

"The bum-rush technique, works every time" Milky said.

"I do not call it that, but that is true. Remember that they too may implement such an attack pattern, and without a healer in our group, that may be very detrimental to our victory" Aegis explained.

"Geez~ where the heck is Elfie when you need her?" Milky said.

Where in Heck Elfie was

Just entering town...

"-and that is the difference between a girl's special service, and a girl's happy ending" Elfie finished explaining something for no reason.

"...Walker, are you feeling all right?" Limbo asked.

"...Just going through an aneurysm on my brain from Elfie's damn story is all, nothing special" Walker muttered as small droplets of blood began to leak out of Walker's ears.

"Well I can't say that Elfie was exaggerating, but I was still too scared to know that much detail" Firefly admitted.

"An aneurysm you say, allow me to provide you with some...service, or perhaps an ending of some kind?" Elfie hinted with a wink.

"(Hate my life...so much now...)" Walker thought to himself as Elfie was ready to spit on him again.

Back to the fighting group

"They'll be here soon, but why don't I just start thing off by throwing you? Just tell me where" Milky said.

"Move to my left hand side, lift me, and toss me as close to them as possible young thief" Aegis instructed

"I'll try" Milky said as she moved besides him.

Despite everything wrong with the picture, young, petite female Milky had successfully lifted old, large, and masculine Aegis up over her head, and to make it even more impossibly difficult to believe, tossed him four squares forward. He landed with a loud *thud*, but was still one square short of his spear reaching his closest target so he made up for it by moving exactly one square forward.

"Now Archer move at striking distance to my target, mage, and skull do the same if you can. However if your spells do not reach, retreat to your original squares" Aegis instructed.

Kimberly did so, moving just two squares behind Aegis she lined her arrow accordingly to the target in front of Aegis, the Gargoyle monster class. As it turns out, she was able to land a blow to the living statue.

"I'm ready, do you wish to strike first, or should I?" Kimberly asked.

"You shall deliver the first strike, and I will deliver the next blow, mage, skull have goes your attempts.

"Sorry, our reach is just out of reach!" Berry Melon explained.

"Even under new leadership, I am still the disappointment of my team" Lloyd muttered to himself.

"Do not think so lowly of thyself Skull, if you can't reach then simply move one square forward, and stand beside our thief Milky, and place yourselves in defensive positions" Aegis instructed.

Milky, and Lloyd did so, and went into Defend.

"It is just you, and I Kimberly, I shall end our turn here" Aegis warned.

Kimberly nervously nodded.

"End Turn!" Aegis bellowed

"Please hit" Kimberly murmured as she fired an arrow, hitting her mark, but doing a mere one fifth worth of damage.

"Vanquish thee!" Aegis bellowed as she stabbed at the gargoyle going roughly one third damage, and nearing the halfway point. Now it was the enemy's turn.

"Time to die!" The Gargoyle exclaimed.

"Take him out Zanac" The Togabito said.

"Flying Press!" Zanac shouted

Raising his left fist high above his, he transformed it into a four bladed pinwheel which began to rapidly spin. It spun with such enough force that it lifted the heavy monster up into the air above air, and he hovered several feet above their heads. Once he reached under Aegis he spun his blades even faster to gain more height before falling on top of him, and flattening him in the process. After Zanac jumped back to his square Aegis body quickly recovered from flat as pancake to, full humanoid shape. Unfortunately for Zanac, he did not realize Aegis name not only stood for his desired top tier knight class, but also his evility as well which reduced his special by thirty percent. Aegis suffered very little damage.

"Fool! You don't hit a Heavy Knight face to face!" The Togabito said.

"Grah! Let me! I'll demolish him! My axe thirsts for blood!" the Barbarian exclaimed.

"*Rgh* if it was one of those brats, I would have killed one by now" Zanac said.

"Then we'll put that to the test then, Fyz, go toss him at those weaklings!" The Togabito commanded.

"I want to bash that knight's skull!" Fyz growled.

"You will when we team up, but right now do as I say, and toss him!" Togabito angrily shouted.

Fyz grunted, but obeyed, lifting Zanac over his head, and angrily tossing him five squares ahead of him, landing him right in front of Berry Melon.

"Ah! Come on!" Berry Melon shouted in frustration.

"We must assist her!" Aegis said.

"It's still our turn!" The Togabito exclaimed.

He moved directly between Aegis, and Kimberly.

"Fyz get over here, and help me team attack!" The Togabito said

"Fyz do this, Fyz do that! Fyz wants bigger slab of meat after this!" Fyz said.

"...Get over here, or I swear by my name Ziska I'll have you eating vegetables!" The Togabito now named Ziska threatened.

Fyz shuddered for a moment before joining Ziska by his right.

"Alright, maybe a duo attack from behind will teach you not to mess with us" Ziska said as he commanded himself with a attack.

"Would you hurry up, I want to move as far away from your stench as soon as possible" Kimberly complained from behind him.

"You'll get yours too...End Turn!" Ziska exclaimed.

He delivered a punch doing little damage, and that's it, Fyz just stood there, and watched. In retaliation Aegis countered his attack with a attack of his own doing twice as much damage as Ziska. In a angry fit he retaliated with a counter, to Aegis counter, but once again doing little damage.

"Why? Why didn't you join my attack?" Ziska asked out of pure anger.

"...We never hang out, or talk much" Was Fyz's only answer.

"Fool, if do not share a close tie to your subordinates then there is no chance you will be able to perform a team attack." Aegis explained.

"The are some elements outside of battle that can affect you during a battle. I see someone skipped that lesson in combat" Kimberly mocked.

"Just shut up, and hurry up with your turn so we can massacre ya!" Ziska exclaimed

"Fair enough, Kimberly I shall perform my weapon skill, however I see that you have one as well so I ask that when you perform yours soon after" Aegis instructed.

"Who is your target?" Kimberly asked

"This Sinner shall be my foe, after I strike you will continue after me. Thief Milky! I ask that you move withing distance of your weapon skill, and strike him after Kimberly. young mages! You two shall chip away at your monster foe with your spells of ice, and fire." Aegis continued.

"I can handle that" Milky assured as she moved one square forward, and several to squares to the side. Once done she was four squares away from Ziska, and just withing reaching distance for her Tri-Burst.

"But he's only weak against the wind element! Where the heck is Firefly when you need her!" Berry Melon exclaimed

Where in Heck Firefly was

"Get out of that barrel Firefly that Cu Sith stopped chasing you" Elfie assured

"I'm pretty sure that dog monster was only after the meat stand in front of her, you could see the owner, and the dog already creating a grid to battle for the food" Walker corrected as he pointed at Green Skull, and Cu Sith fighting in the middle of a meat covered floor.

"I can't I'm stuck!" Firefly shouted in a panic from the inside of the wooden barrel.

"That's what happens when you jump headfirst into the things, I learned that the hard way" Walker said.

Her legs were the only thing sticking out of the barrel, her constant squirming inside shook the wooden thing.

"We better pull her out before she drops the thing while she's inside, it's actually more painful than it looks" Walker said.

"Let me guess, learned the hard way?" Elfie hinted with a snicker.

"...Shut up, Limbo help us out" Walker said.

"With what arms?" Limbo asked.

Walker chose not to comment.

Back to the fight again

"You'll just have to make do with your chosen elements, now I see everyone is ready so let us begin. End Turn, and Impaler drop!" Aegis exclaimed

Aegis delivered a mighty right hook, launching him above his head, jumped after him, and impaled his opponent with it. In some sort sort of freak of nature only witnessed in the Netherworld, Ziska stayed in the air with the spear still impaling him as the sky around him darkened, and a single bolt of lightning struck him. This in turned canceled the zero gravity spot he was stuck in, and fell back to the ground, the spear popping out of him twirling during it's aerial arc until it was caught by Aegis. The attack did adequate damage, and Ziska was left with half his health left.

"Arrow please hit your mark. Spiral Blast! (After what our bodies had to be like in order for this to work efficiently it better!)" Kimberly exclaimed, and thought at once.

Kimberly jumped into a gracefully, acrobatic, but also totally pointless front flips on top of his opponent, then staying in mid air right on top of Ziska she focused a concentrated arrow embed with magical energy, and she fired. The arrow instantly split into six spiraling tendrils of ice elemental energy, but all shots hit one concentrated area...the top skull of Ziska. Once their target was hit they traveled through the rest of his body, and split apart once reaching the ground into six different directions. Once the beams vanished, Kimberly defied physics, and back-flipped to the same square she was previously standing under. The attack left with a tiny portion of his health left until Milky came along.

"Finally I get to finish someone important! Tri-Burst!" Milky shouted.

Since this gun skill had already been previously described, there is no reason to do so again, after the attack was done, Ziska health had reached zero. In an embarrassing, and shameful series of events in which most of the town was watching from the side lines, the leader of the pack fell first.

"No this isn't possible! I'm suppose to be the last one standing, I'm the leader!" Ziska complained.

"Well that seems believable seeing as how it's taking a while for you to become deceased" Aegis said.

"Pack leader died first! Ooah~ laugh at his face!" Peach Basket urged with excitement as she began laughing. Following in her cruel example the rest of the demons began laughing at Ziska, pointing at him, and shouted many rude things to him, and imploring them all to be true.

"Stop it! Stop mocking me! We are superior to all you lesser human mimicking demons! *Dead*" Ziska shouted just before he turned into ball of light, and died.

"Brightly, badly burning blast!" Milky exclaimed as she fired a fire spell, doing little damage due to Zanac's resistance to it.

"How does my cold shoulder feel?" Lloyd muttered softly as he fired a ice spell, doing more damage compared to Berry Melon.

After they were done, Zanac was left with just above one fourth of his health remaining, and Fyz remained untouched.

"It's our turn right?" Fyz asked Zanac

"Yes, now let's do whatever the hell we want now!" Zanac cried out.

"Finally!" Fyz said.

"I'm gonna squash the Thief girl then!" Zanac proclaimed.

"What did I do to you? They attacked you!" Milky protested.

"Uh...no we didn't?" Berry Melon awkwardly said.

"Good enough for me!" Zanac said as he moved in close to perform his skill on Milky.

"I guess I'll smash the archer to bits!" Fyz said.

"I have done you no wrong!" Kimberly protested.

"Uh...yes she did?" Berry Melon said.

"Berry Melon!" Kimberly, and Milky shouted in frustration.

"Cowards! If you're going to attack someone, then attack me!" Aegis challenged.

"Too late, already set up, end turn!" Fyz shouted.

"Flying Press!" Zanac shouted.

He performed his skill, and squashed Milky like a bug, dealing no damage because it missed.

"Wait, I saw you get smashed how did you not get hurt?" Zanac asked, baffled

"Your attack missed, ha-ha!" Milky teased.

"B-but I saw you, we all did get crushed, you even flattened!" Zanac complained.

"But you still missed!" Milky repeated.

"I...I...this system really does suck" Zanac concluded.

"Split you apart!" Fyz shouted as he attacked Kimberly, doing devastating damage, nothing fatal, but her life was now at the brink of ending unless they ended this quickly.

"I-I didn't sign up for this..." Kimberly weakly responded as their turn rang.

"Hey! What the hell do you think you guys are doing!" A familiar gunman was heard.

"Is that Walker?" Milky said.

"Ah, it is...the tragic hero arrival much too late" Lloyd said.

"But we're all fine though" Berry Melon said.

"I can attest to that" Kimberly argued.

"I'm asking again, what the hell do you guys think you're doing?" Walker repeated.

"I take it, he is your full time leader?" Aegis asked

"That's right, and in case you were wondering, we were defending his dessert shop!" Berry Melon shouted while pointing both her fingers at Aegis.

"Why?" Walker asked sounding almost desperate.

"Advertisement?" Milky declared before Berry Melon could answer truthfully, and piss off Walker more.

"Advertisement...you're getting paid for this though right?" Walker asked.

"Uh...slipped our minds?" Berry Melon said.

"*Sigh*...alright, I'll buy it seeing the large crowd you guys drew it looks like it's working, but do they even know who we are?" Walker continued.

"Oh yeah! If you like what you saw, and you need some muscle-" Berry Melon began.

"Or anything really!" Milky added.

"Just visit our guild outside of town at the end of the dirt road...we'll do the work you don't want to, even though we won't like it very much" Lloyd concluded with a sad tone.

"Join us! Hire us! Or I curse you with bladder issues!" Peach Basket threatened.

It seemed that despite the threats, and low regard for doing any sort of manual labor, the crowd was impressed nonetheless.

"I have work I'm too lazy to do!" A Slime was heard saying.

"Their girls are super cute-gii!" A Eryngi was heard.

"Brains~" A passing stereotypical Zombie was heard which had nothing to do with the Guild's declaration.

"I bumped into that Archer! Yeah~!" A Wood Golem was heard hollering.

"Never heard of them, but what the hell they seem alright" A Fighter was heard saying.

"Did she say join? I wonder if they need an extra set of hands?" A Lady Fighter wondered out loud.

"Pay no visual attention to the guy with the mask, instead open your eyes to the man behind the curtain!" A Masked Hero was heard saying behind the crowd shortly before running away. His identity a mystery.

"What do you think now brother, are they big enough for us to play with them?" A familiar Hanakage said from a top of a roof, and in camouflage.

The brother Genin gave her a stern look.

"*Sigh* Nin-nin" the Hanakage reluctantly said.

"Almost sister...almost-zam!" The Genin assured.

They both then immediately vanished in two clouds of smoke.

"Hello! Fight here, not done yet!" Fyz shouted in annoyance.

"Oh yeah! Quick tell us what to do" Berry Melon said.

"You're letting someone order you around besides me!" Walker was heard shouting.

"Hm~ Walker with your permission, may I join their conflict?" Elfie asked.

"It's almost over though-wait...I think Kimberly is on her last legs. Fine let's all get out there" Walker said.

"I won't last a turn" Limbo said.

"True, stay behind with our Shaman Peach Basket" Walker said.

"You hired a Shaman!" Limbo exclaimed.

"Yeah live with it...no pun intended, now come on!" Walker said as he entered the grid.

"Do we have to start a fight everyday?" Firefly wondered as she entered the grid.

Elfie wordlessly entered the grid with a smirk on her face.

"I see the unnecessary reinforcements have arrived, we only need your healer" Aegis said.

"Yeah, well too bad because she comes with me whether you like it, or not" Walker said.

"I am such a commodity" Elfie said to herself with a hint of pride.

"Healer, administer your magic, and assist Kimberly" Aegis said.

"There you go again acting like the leader, I was gonna say the same thing" Walker said.

"Loud Gunner, you shall assist me, Milky, and Kimberly with an assault on Fyz." Aegis said.

"...One time, I'll be compliant, and do as you say" Walker muttered.

"Very good, perhaps you are as wise as leader as they have said." Aegis said.

"Really...they said that?" Walker said.

"Well no...but I'm sure you were in their thoughts" Aegis said.

"Yeah I'll bet..." Walker skeptically muttered.

"Magic Knight, you shall assist our Thief, the Skull, and Mage in attacking our Gargoyle foe" Aegis said.

"O-Okay!" Firefly said with little confidence.

"The plan is simple enough, the Gunner shall strike first, if my studies are correct about your kind, you should provide a mighty assist to the next fighter attacking." Aegis said.

"Yeah that's right, it helped us out a lot." Walker said.

"I'm sure it has, now move in position for your weapon skill to strike, Milky the thief, move to a square where you may strike your new opponent so that Walker can switch with ye" Aegis ordered.

"Sure thing" Milky said moving to a square behind Zanac.

"I shall perform my special next followed by Kimberly. Once all three of us attacked, our Healer shall heal our wounded archer. Can you reach her?" Aegis asked.

Elfie who Aegis has not introduced himself to yet did not speak, but nodded as she began to move to a fitting square close to Milky.

"Berry Melon you shall strike first of your group, Lloyd shall be second, Milky shall hit with her weapon skill next, and your Magic Knight shall deliver the final blow with a wind spell" Aegis said.

"Sure we'll get right on it" Lloyd dully said.

"Well then if everyone knows their turn order, then begin preparations" Aegis instructed.

They all did so, through trial an error in which some of the more empty headed members had to cancel, try, and re-cancel their attacks in order for it to correctly hit during their ordered turn sequence. Eventually, though a tad time consuming, they had accomplished their goal, and Aegis was ready to call it.

"End Turn!" Aegis called out

"Tri-Burst" Walker started things off.

He fired three shots with acrobatic grace for no reason, and dropping Fyz's health down by a quarter.

"If I had a better gun I would have ended it here, and now" Walker muttered.

"Impaler drop!" Aegis called out.

He performed his special flawlessly hitting with a critical strike, and dropping Fyz's health down to one fourth.

"Spiral Blast!" Kimberly exclaimed.

"Kimberly also hit her attack with no error, dropping Fyz's health down to zero soon afterward.

"*Ugh*! Valhalla here I come! *Dead*!" Fyz exclaimed.

"...Just a quick reminder, he was a barbarian right? Not a Viking?" Walker asked

"No he wasn't, I don't know why he would say that." Kimberly said.

"Heal my partner of her psychosis" Elfie sang

"I do not have psychosis!" Kimberly argued, regardless she was healed of her injuries.

"Fire, bless thee with the gift that keeps on giving!" Berry Melon chanted as she cast fire on her enemy.

"Ice...just do whatever while I sulk" Lloyd dully said as he cast ice, and by then he Zanac's health was down to a quarter.

"Tri-Burst!" Milky shouted with childish excitement.

After performing her special, Zanac's health had dropped to zero, and the team was gifted with yet another victory.

"This, really sucks-*dead*" Were Zanac's final words.

A large cheering crowd lead by Peach Basket roared with rowdy cries of another excellent fight. Yet as the grid began to disappear, so did the crowd began to dissipate, and soon the group were left to themselves again.

"I'll just be taking our earnings" Walker said grabbing a pouch containing the battle's spoils.

"Another victorious fight, and I have all of you to thank for your valiant efforts." Aegis said.

"Here I thought it would end in vain too, I guess miracles do exist" Lloyd said.

Ooah~ me wanna fight too! Buy me spear!" Peach Basket insisted.

"So now that everything is settled...for now, how may I help you?" Aegis asked returning to his job as owner of a shop even though he was nowhere near his stand.

"I want a baker's dozen worth of chocolate cakes with Vanilla ice cream inside!" Berry Melon instantly shouted.

"I believe that's manageable" Aegis said.

"I actually wanted to talk to you, but I guess it could wait..." Walker said.

"No need, I can multitask quite well, ask away Gunner." Aegis said as he started baking, went into his shop, and grabbed his apron...not in that order mind you.

Elfie began tugging at Walker's hat, obviously she had something to say to Aegis.

"What a stupid condition you have-hey what the hell I'm not injured, don't just spit on me whenever! Ugh! Fine, fine, hey Heavy Knight let's start with your name, and could you say it in front of my Healer here?" Walker said.

"...It's Aegis. Class: Heavy Knight, I boast a strong defense, high health, and with a little work a mighty strike." Aegis said.

"I am Eflie. Class: Healer, former Lilim. I boast high intelligence as well as average attack, and hit for when I am given a bow with a little help, you could make me into a valuable offensive as well" Elfie said.

"But because I am here there is no need for that" Kimberly said.

"True, and you're party is very long range as it is" Aegis said.

"Of course, we often find ourselves being beaten once the enemy gets close to us" Milky said.

"Is that why you resorted to recruiting a Shaman? Is the heavy burden of infinite curses really worth stunning your enemies for a short time?" Aegis asked.

"Don't question my leadership, she'll pay for herself eventually." Walker said.

"I believe that you believe that" Aegis said.

"What about you, what made you decide to run a bakery?" Walker asked.

"I ask myself that same question, and I still don't get an answer" Aegis said almost as if he was speaking to himself.

"I don't understand, be more descriptive" Walker said.

"Well we are all trained brutally, having to defend ourselves from real time attacks, and even take them head on to increase our endurance. We are the best of the best in protection, even bodyguards would seek our wisdom on occasion, but there is one thing they always neglect during our training" Aegis said.

"Well what is it?" Walker impatiently asked.

"What to do with ourselves after that" Aegis finished.

"What? Isn't it obvious!" Walker argued sounding very disappointed.

"Maybe...maybe, we aren't given someone to protect, or fight, and we aren't given any real objective in our lives. We train to become what we are now, and after they finish, the rest is up to us" Aegis finished.

"I suppose mainstream media has titled Heavy Knights as constant guardians for higher ups, not knowing that like all demons they are given free will to do as they see fit" Elfie said.

"Correct, what sort of demons would we be if we are not given free will to do as we please. Sure perhaps I may be better suited as a guard, but just because I was trained to be one does not mean I wish to pursue that. When you think about it, what is so evil, and demonic about standing on some post all day protecting someone I don't know?" Aegis said putting emphasis on protect.

"You drive a hard point across partner" Walker said impressed.

"Indeed, you understand that backwards sense of being a demon, it's romantic, inefficient, and inaccurate, but certainly plausible in a sense...I have heard stories about such events happening. Then again there are those who do make it look viciously evil, and I applaud them, but after a long journey life in which I had served, and protected many demons who merely had the HL to afford me, I came upon...well as you can plainly see." Aegis said.

"This? Again how does that make you any less evil if not more good?" Walker asked.

"I understand if it sounds like a contradiction, or even hypocritical to what I just said, but when you think about the many demons who are now suffering cavities from my overdosing sugar on my baked goods. Well it seems more vile than standing in place for a twelve hour shift" Aegis said.

"...You do know that most demons are practically immune to such things right? Hell Slimes don't even have teeth!" Walker argued.

"I have never mentioned anything about Slimes being a constantly appearing customer, but I do receive them. Have you seen the way they eat? It is like looking at your stomach digesting it's food as if you could see it from the inside, it drove away customers so I had to force them to eat it on the go. Needless to say it caused an even larger commotion when the whole town could now see them doing it, I was quite proud of myself for causing such a ruckus" Aegis said.

"You sounded so noble, talking about something so...disgusting" Walker said.

"Noble? Perhaps I sound like this to make myself appear even more important, more masculine" Aegis said.

"Did they teach that in Knight academy?" Walker begrudgingly asked.

"They may have hinted at the idea, but few of us got the message" Aegis said.

"How are those cakes coming along?" Berry Melon asked.

"As I was talking I had prepared several cakes, you may enjoy them as you wish while I finish your order." Aegis said placing the several squared Chocolate cakes with Vanilla ice cream on her circle table which Kimberly, Milky, and Firefly were also sitting on. While Walker, Limbo, Elfie, and Peach Basket sat in a second round table. Lloyd choose to sit on a lone table next to Walkers muttering rhymes to himself.

"So basically you were trained to become a standard knight, but not given any responsibilities afterward?" Walker said.

"To be fair, they did give us an assortment of clients who needed guards, and I have served under them for many years, but in short we are given free rein just as you Walker were given the order to do whatever you wanted with your training. If I wasn't baking I would have done something else, perhaps pirating, or perhaps maybe I should have done what you have started, and opened a Guild. Which I'm surprised to see a Gunner running, aren't you all suppose to be wanderers, loners, or simply hired guns for a day?" Aegis asked.

"...Maybe we aren't so different after all then. Got any sarsaparilla?" Walker asked.

"We don't get many Gunners like you around here, so of course I wouldn't be stocked with it. Then again I hear it's not that bad, but I have never tasted it myself seeing as how they are only a few locations that make them, and even fewer that sell them." Aegis said.

"Dark times indeed" Walker muttered.

"I wish to inquire about your Iced tea that you possess, and wish to try some" Kimberly said.

"Of course tell me what flavor would you prefer...raspberry, cherry, lemon?" Aegis asked.

"*Sigh* I suppose lemon iced tea will do" Kimberly said.

Aegis paused his baking to retrieve a bottle of Iced tea for Kimberly he keeps on a refrigerator behind the stall. After retrieving said Iced tea which was next to the Root Beer Schnapps.

"Hey is that Schnapps? I'll drink that, I don't care what flavor it is" Walker said.

"One Root Beer Schnapps too then" Aegis said.

He grabbed both drinks, and tossed them to their wanted recipients.

"Uh~ I have a problem..." Kimberly said.

"I gave you what you asked" Aegis said as he continued to work

"This iced tea is in a plastic bottle...and there is no cup to drink it in" Kimberly discovered.

"...She's serious" Aegis muttered

"She's just new at this, Kimberly you drink it like any other tea cup...see the round hole right there? Put your lips on that, and just drink it like normally" Elfie instructed.

"I know how to drink from a bottle stop treating me like a child!" Kimberly complained.

"Cakes are done, help yourselves it's on the house, but only because I don't wish to owe you an favors" Aegis said.

"Good! I was just about to run out too!" Berry Melon said.

"You ate half of mine...I wanted half of mine" Milky said.

"It's fine by me, I don't want to gain any extra weight" Firefly said.

"Why not? We all now all the extra fat you girls get go straight to your breasts" Elfie said as if it was obvious.

"...That is one reason actually" Firefly admitted

"So I'm gonna cut to the chase now, you know we're a Guild" Walker began.

"Yes" Aegis said.

"we're still starting out" Walker continued.

"Yes" Aegis said.

"We need a large number of members to get noticed" Walker added.

"Yes, and I believe our little demonstration just now brought plenty of attention now" Aegis said.

"We could also use the needed defense which we severely lack" Walker admitted.

"I already said yes" Aegis said.

"H-huh?" Walker stammered.

"I knew you wanted to recruit me, and I said yes the first time, then you went on, and on about how pathetic your guild is, and despite that, my answer stays the same. I will join your cause" Aegis said.

"B-but what about your shop!" Berry Melon said in a panic.

"I'll take it with me to your Guild, take up shop there, and make a few extra while you're out...you know you're only allowed to bring ten of you at most in a party" Aegis said.

"Berry Melon? You alright? You're looking a little-" Walker began.

"She's just really, really happy we have a cake shop moving in with us" Elfie assured.

"I'm surprised you still wish to continue your business, I thought for certain you will abandon it, like so many people I have met" Lloyd said.

"Well it's helped me make a living, I'll just inform my regulars we'll be moving shop, who knows maybe I can make more HL than before. Not even the craving for a delicious cake will drive most demon to embarrass themselves by staying in my shop. At least in your Guild with all the foliage of the forest very few demons will see them." Aegis said

"It won't interrupt our meetings will it?" Walker asked.

"Depends on when your meetings take place, if you spend more time outside than you do inside then we have no problem" Aegis said.

"I guess we'll cross that bridge when we get there then" Walker said uncertain.

"That's good, here are some drinks let's make a toast then shall we?" Aegis declared.

Everyone grabbed a random beverage.

"For fame, money, and respect!" Walker began.

"For all the teas in the known Netherworlds, and beyond" Kimberly added.

"For treating gruesome injuries to handsome men, and sexy women" Elfie said.

"For stealing all the riches we find!" Milky said.

"For depression, sadness, anguish, misery, despair, and tragedies..." Lloyd dully said.

"F-for conquering our fears" Firefly said.

"For being dragged into this without our consent" Limbo said.

"For curses! Curses! Curses!...Hex too!" Peach Basket said.

"*Munch*, *munch*, fhur shnacks theh eatsh!" Berry Melon shouted with a full mouth

"For having all the time in the world to do as you wish!" Aegis said.

Smacking their bottles together, and spilling most of their contents together they cheered together as a team ready to grab life, and make it it's bitch.

"...We'd really have to get our goals in order..." Walker realized.

"Yeah we have too much not in common with each other" Elfie said.

"There is only one solution for that." Aegis said.

"Recruit more members!" Berry Melon declared.

"Won't that make it worse?" Milky said.

"Who knows maybe she might be right for once. It might get so crazy with the new numbers that we might end up going full circle to sane" Walker said.

"Good because I did something while we were in town" Berry Melon said.

"You're right, you fought without my permission, but you fought hard, and for once I'm actually starting to respect you" Walker complimented.

"Really! B-but that's not the only thing I've done" Berry Melon said.

"Whatever you've done is excusable little sis" Walker said.

"Well I though we could use the help so I sent a letter to our old hometown" Berry Melon continued.

"Who Knows Where? Yeah our cozy little home, what about it?" Walker said.

"Well the letter I sent was a request to send some backup to help us out, and I got a response from someone" Berry Melon said still in her cheerful tone.

"Yeah, and who answered?" Walker asked.

"Well you already know her actually" Berry Melon said.

"...I know her...wait...no~" Walker said instantly growing a sense of dread deep inside the portion of his mind that no one dares to trend.

"The Gunslinger yes good guess!" Berry Melon said.

"No~" Walker said the dread growing like a horrid tumor made of rage, and hatred.

"She responded back, and she said she was more than happy to join us" Berry Melon said.

"No, no, no~" Walker said the anger inside him close to breaking.

"She said she'll be coming here tomorrow" Berry Melon declared.

"NOOOOO~" Walker shouted at the top of his lungs as the worst companion he's ever associated with, who had also robbed him of much of his HL so long ago will be joining his guild.

_End of Chapter_

_Any particular favorite class they wish to see sooner rather than later will be considered and details are located at the bottom of my user page. So if any of you haven't noticed by now, I'm trying to make this the longest Disgaea Fic ever, which means more happy fun time for you. As you can see we're just scratching the surface, and much more than just a story will be involved in this fic, but there's still so much to prepare for. Thanks for the reviews, the support, and reading this overly long story of mine, now go rest your eyes._


	9. Chapter 9

_Chapter 9: Kidnapping, or Recruiting?_

_Huh...did any of you guys seen all my dialogue notes on Walker calling Milky a boy? They've been gone for a while._

_Milky: Nope-sorry haven't seen them. Maybe they're lost in all your piles of other notes_

_Ri~ght...Why do I feel like they're misplaced in Milky's room somewhere, oh well. Enjoy!_

Walker's Head

"(Ow~ my head, what the hell happened to me...can't be the schnapps I only had one Walker began to think.(Everything's dark, am I out cold, or gone blind? Crap feeling really tired now...maybe some rest would do me some good Walker thought.(Wait a minute now, I remember! Berry Melon mentioned her, and something about her joining us...oh crap! I f I think about something like that now I'm gonna end up dreaming about it! Walker realized much too late.

Flashback

"Walker A girl was heard crying out behind Walker.

"How could she just called out to me like that after all she's done?" Walker muttered to himself angrily as he quickened his steps away from her.

"Walker~ I know you can hear me The Gunslinger babe happily called out.

"(She acts all innocent too...I guess that's what makes her so dangerous of a scam artist Walker thought.

A loud gunshot was heard, followed by Walker screaming in pain.

"Ah~ m-my leg! You shot me in the leg! Oh god the bullet nearly shattered my knee! Are you trying to end my journey just when it started!" Walker shouted in frustration.

"You didn't hear my calls, so I had to take drastic measures *giggle*!" The Gunslinger teased.

"Where not in a grid you know! This freaking hurts like hell out of battle!" Walker roared.

"Ah~ tough it out ya big baby, or else you will never win my heart" the Gunslinger teased yet again.

"If I weren't in tremendous pain right now I'd throw you a world of insults the likes of wish you've never heard, or wish you'd heard. Right now though I'm just hoping I can stand upright again" Walker groaned.

"Here let me give you a hand, it's the least I can do" the Gunslinger offered with an extended hand.

"No way, the closer you get to me, the closer you get to my wallet" Walker said.

"So I take it you're still mad at me for that aren't ya?" his gal pal said.

"That, and many more" Walker reminded.

"We've been chums for so long, and yet you still don't seem my scams coming, either you're an idiot, or I'm a freaking genius" the Gunslinger said.

"Anyone ever told you to keep your mouth shut when pissed off Gunners are near your vicinity Sasha?" Walker asked.

"I don't have a problem with that, I just wave my body about, and guys forget about the entire thing. You on the other I can't seem to distract with these" the Gunslinger named Sasha said motioning her hands towards her breasts.

"That's because I'm too focused, too battle hardened to think about anything other than myself right now" Walker reminded as he managed to make himself upright.

"So besides the gunshot wound, how's my favorite sucker-I mean Gunner feeling?" Sasha asked.

"Well I said my see ya laters to my sister as she left in our Dimensional Gate a while back" Walker said.

"Eliza right? Heading off towards that school now" Sasha said.

"No thanks to you" Walker grunted to himself as he felt his once previously full wallet in his pocket.

"Survival of the fittest Walker my dear, so you gonna miss her?" Sasha asked.

"...I'll see her again" Walker answered fairly awkwardly.

"You finally became a Gunner too, that's why you're my favorite Gunner up until just now" Sasha said.

"Whatever, now that my master kicked me out, and left me gun-less I have to start my travels" Walker said.

"Yeah, I know what it is you guys do, I'm one of them remember?" Sasha said.

"Yeah, but your types do more talking than shooting." Walker reminded.

"I'd like to say we keep our economy spinning right with our bargaining gifts" Sasha said.

"Spinning? Yeah right, spinning in your direction maybe" Walker said.

"Got any plans?" Sasha asked ignoring the last statement.

"Besides not talking to you anymore? Yeah I do have one plan, but I'd rather drink out of a spittoon then tell you" Walker said.

"Oh? It must be either really good, or really naughty. So which is it?" Sasha asked.

"It's on the side of 'none of your damn business Walker said.

"Fine, obviously you won't tell me...even after we've been through so much together. Like that time it rained all day here when we were little. You, Eliza, and I found a huge mud puddle, and just started playing on it till it dried up. If I remember correctly that was the first moment in time you started having feelings for me" Sasha said.

"If wishes were horses, beggars would ride. Stop filling your head with what you think I feel about you" Walker said.

"Aren't you at least gonna say you'll miss me like your sister?" Sasha asked.

"You shot me in the back of my leg, hustle me out of most of my HL, and now you're asking if I'll be thinking of you on my trip?" Walker asked.

"Come on, you know deep down we're the best of friends" Sasha said.

"Then it's a one sided relationship then...*Sigh* fine, if I don't see you for a while, I'll give up a space in my head for you...a small cramped space where only the least important memories are kept." Walker said.

"And that my friends is Walker's way of saying I'll miss you a whole lot" Sasha said satisfied with the response.

"If wishes were horses..." Walker said at last as he gave Sasha one last wave farewell, and left town.

"O-okay! See ya later! Remember if you need anything. You, and your sister can send me a letter!" Sasha called out.

"Don't give my sister any ideas!" Walker cried out.

"I already did partner!" Sasha exclaimed

At that moment everything began to grow blurry, Walker felt his cheeks sting painfully all of a sudden, and once again everything was dark, but far from silent as he heard several whispers he recognized as his Guild members. It only took him a second to realize it was because his eyes were closed so he did the logical thing, and opened them seeing his party grouped around him, and staring back.

"Oh look he's awake! My treatment work" Elfie said with pride.

"Treatment? What treatment, what did you do to me?" Walker asked.

"Well normally a simple mouth to mouth resuscitation Elfie answered.

"W-what!" Walker cried out loud.

"-But your sister told me you wouldn't like it...at least not when your unconscious so I settled for slapping you repeatedly across both your cheeks" Elfie concluded with a smile

"Oh yeah that felt so much better" Walker muttered with sarcasm.

"I told you he would have like my kis-I mean CPR" Elfie muttered.

"Need a hand?" Milky offered.

"No way, the closer you get to me, the closer you get to my wallet" Walker repeated unknowingly.

"Hey I may be a Thief, but I'm your thief. I think I earned a little more trust in your group" Milky said feeling hurt.

"W-what? Oh, no I wasn't talking to you I was talking to...*sigh* never mind, just help me up" Walker said accepting the help.

"So were you dreaming?" Berry Melon asked.

"More like remembering" Walker corrected.

"Well you're all better now, and we're all full from sugary sweets." Elfie said.

"Also you have been unconscious for a while now, we only have a few hours of sunlight left" Kimberly said.

"If there is something you must finish here before we set off then you must do so quickly Walker" Aegis said.

"Pack leader pass out! Peach Basket happy it not my fault!" Peach Basket said.

"Thanks again for the meal, but again I'm a ghost I can't really eat" Limbo suddenly said.

"It must be a terrible feeling seeing others enjoy such a delicacy that you use to partake in" Lloyd said.

"Not really, all I remember is being a ghost" Limbo answered.

"The ghost of what exactly?" Lloyd asked.

"...I don't know" Limbo answered.

"What are you two going on about?" Walker asked.

"Our new recruit is a spirit, but has no idea of his origins" Lloyd said.

"Elfie what can you tell us?" Walker asked.

"Nothing" Elfie answered.

"Well so much for that let's walk around town" Walker said.

"Don't you want to know why I know nothing?" Elfie asked.

"It's just gonna end the same way. None of us knowing the answer" Walker said.

"So you have nothing to lose if I explain anyways?" Elfie said.

"You really like to hear the sound of your voice don't you?" Walker asked.

"Don't we all...like to hear our own voices?" Elfie said.

"Fine, let's just go" Walker said.

"Go where?" Aegis asked.

"...Wherever we might find a Prinny, that was my plan today, which I would have accomplished by now if I wasn't distracted by so many things" Walker said.

"I'll try my best to cover them up" Elfie simply said.

"Not from you! I meant with the new recruit Walker began.

"I still haven't decided yet actually" Limbo said.

"You girls fighting" Walker added.

"In my defense, it was for a worthy cause" Berry Melon said.

"And the fact that you invited an old colleague of mine who would undoubtedly swindle us of all our HL" Walker concluded.

"Why can't people just steal, why go through all that trouble trying to trick someone when you got a nifty Stealing Hand with you" Milky said.

"Yeah well she told me it made her feel smart, like some sort of super agent. I never really understood that, but that's not important right now" Walker said.

"Right, let's find a Empusa to recruit" Elfie said.

"After I just explained my plan for you to find a prinny too" Walker said sounding exhausted.

"I can tell you from experience, that an Empusa would be a very productive member to the team" Elfie assured.

"Is she gonna do the dishes, sweep the floor, scrub the windows?" Walker reminded.

"...I suppose you have a point, an Empusa can wait" Elfie realized.

"Berry Melon you had experience with Prinnies, how would you find them?" Walker asked.

"Well there aren't exactly free range Prinnies here, they are always working for some demon, but if I had to guess, we might find one at the clinic" Berry Melon answered.

"Why the clinic?" Walker asked.

"Well occasionally when they are thrown they don't survive the process, they'll end up at nearby hospitals, or clinics where one demon finds a cheap prinny he could buy for HL just so he could toss it at his enemies, or for cheap labor" Berry Melon explained.

"Let me guess, you did that quite often didn't you?" Walker asked.

"Besides the occasional clothes, and candy, buying prinnies exhausted the HL you gave me" Berry Melon answered.

"So if we don't find one walking about, we'll find one on Matilda's list of deceased demons" Walker said.

"Pretty much" Berry Melon said.

"Milky, go get a bird's eye view of this place, and see if you can spot a blur of blue" Walker instructed.

"Gotcha!" Milky exclaimed soon after jumping onto a nearby roof.

"Actually, I think I'm gonna join you up there as well" Walker said.

He jumped as high as he could, but could not exactly leap up roofs as well as Milky. Instead clinging to the roof's edge, and having to be assisted up by Milky.

"You alright? You know if you equipped some shoes like mine you could have landed it. You have potential" Milky said.

"Yeah, I know that. I'm gonna buy me a pair when I get the chance. You know I heard just wearing the things can make your bullets faster, and therefore hurting even more like hell." Walker said.

"I never knew how that worked" Milky said.

"I don't question these things, I'm just glad they do a little more work than you would think" Walker said.

"Hello~ what about us?" Berry Melon called out.

"Oh yeah, um~ Aegis, Lloyd, Kimberly, and Limbo, you'll visit the clinic, and talk to Matilda see what she knows. Peach Basket, Berry Melon, Firefly, and Elfie will scout with us, and talk the Prinny into joining us. If nothing else just grab it, regardless of what happens you are to all retreat to the base at nightfall" Walker said.

"He really doesn't want to do his chores does he?" Firefly whispered.

"Cleaning is terrible curse" Peach Basket whispered back.

"You guys know your assignments let's get this done" Walker said.

"Why are we doing all this for a Prinny?" Kimberly asked.

"It's not for a Prinny, it's the freedom of never having to do another chore around the house!" Walker exclaimed.

Upon realizing that the teams split up, and ran towards their destination, leaving Milky, and Walker alone.

"...I wish they had that determination when we fight" Walker said.

"We haven't lost a fight yet, whatever it is we're doing must I say we stick with it" Milky said.

"I suppose we can talk about this later, come on let's get moving." Walker said.

"I'll do my best" Milky assured.

They jogged through the roofs occasionally jumping the gaps between houses, climbing over ledges, guard rails, and basically running through the rooftops like parkour masters. Though Walker was a little slower than Milky, and eventually they stopped near the Empusa fountain.

"You gotta be faster than that Walker" Milky said.

"Keep talking, but in a drinking contest I reign supreme" Walker assured.

"I-I can drink too!" Milky argued.

"I think we have different meanings to the term drinking contest" Walker said.

"Well in any case I don't see any Prinny, or Prinnies" Milky said.

"We'll stay here, and keep scanning, we'll get results one way, or another" Walker said.

Team 1: Aegis, Lloyd, Kimberly, and Limbo

"-and when she bumped into me, and didn't apologize, that was the two hundred thirty seventh saddest moment of my life" Lloyd went on.

"I have something even sadder" Limbo said.

"I welcome the challenge" Lloyd dully said.

"I died, and I didn't come back...in case you haven't noticed, I'm a ghost" Limbo said.

"My word you both share such depressing lives, but could you not express it in front of us?" Kimberly asked.

"I agree with our Archer, it's not necessary" Aegis said.

"A tale of one's tearful woe~

Neglected, ignored, no pity bestowed~

A miserable sight to behold~

Was my terrible fate ever foretold?" Lloyd rhymed.

"Will you be answering our responses in poetry like that?" Kimberly asked.

"When you think about it, it does make good practice" Lloyd figured.

"I wish you would spend more of your time doing something more productive, like preparing tea" Kimberly said.

"As a ghost, I waste my time stalking people" Limbo announced.

"...Were we suppose to know that?" Aegis asked.

"No...just a heads up though in case you see me staring at your from across the room" Limbo said.

"First a thief, a sorcerer, and now a ghost? This had better be worth the trouble" Kimberly said.

"How bad has it been exactly?" Aegis asked.

"Well nothing terrible has happened yet, but that kind of mix of classes, not to mention personalities could only lead to trouble" Kimberly said.

"That's why the rest of us must be stronger to endure it. Kimberly you must exercise your mind, and will. You need not to surrender yourself to them, instead assist Walker when an inner party ruckus emerges" Aegis advised.

"I...suppose I can at least try" Kimberly reluctantly said.

"I get the feeling their talking about us" Limbo said.

"Out loud, and in front of us...what did I do to deserve such criticism" Lloyd woefully said.

"My apologies if you took it the wrong way, what I meant is that under an extreme clash of culture, we mustn't destroy ourselves...is all" Kimberly said.

"I see the clinic, let's see what information the resident healer has on our Prinny search" Aegis said.

"Why did Walker sent me to go to a hospital with you guys...why am I still following any of you for that matter?" Limbo wondered out loud.

"Those questions are not for us to answer spirit of a deceased" Aegis reminded.

They went inside, Matilda the only nurse, and owner of the only clinic did not even glance at them as she was too busy daydreaming while lying down on a hospital gurney used for patients, but once she saw the new arrivals, some familiar to her she yawned, and motioned lazily towards the back of the counter where she performs her usual business.

"Welcome to my-*ya~wn*-clinic...I remember some of you, but suddenly feeling too lazy to remember your names" Matilda dully said.

"We'll make this quick, we just want to ask a few questions" Aegis said.

Matilda glanced at everyone with tired eyes, then focused on the ghost.

"There is nothing I can do for your ghost friend, sorry to say, he's stuck like that until he reincarnates himself." Matilda said yawning again soon afterward.

"That's not the reason why we're here. We wanted to ask to see your list of deceased demons seeing as how you don't pay attention to your own work very often" Kimberly said.

"Too lazy to make a witty response, but here it is..." Matilda said as she shuffled behind the counter, and pulling out a plain yellow document containing a single piece of paper still.

"(Uh-oh...what if Frederic is still on that list...who knows how Kimberly will react to that...this could turn out to be a great poem though Lloyd thought to himself as the four closed in on the document.

Aegis turned the document over revealing the paper listing all the demons, Lloyd waited for the sudden dramatic realization.

"Lloyd...What are you doing? Come look at this with us" Kimberly invited.

Lloyd was confused at first, but it's possible that Kimberly was in denial at first, and the next stage will appear soon. Regardless he took a look at the paper himself, but was shocked to see Frederic's name gone from the list.

"(This is interesting...I suppose I should tell Walker...then again no one cares about what I have to say Lloyd said.

"Excuse me miss, but have you treated a Prinny these past few days?" Kimberly asked.

"...Yes" Matilda dully said.

"Okay that's a start I suppose, now do you know who payed for this Prinny's revival?" Kimberly asked.

"...A demon" Matilda dully answered.

"Can you be more specific?" Aegis asked.

"Male" Matilda specified.

"A little more could help" Lloyd said.

"...Humanoid?" Matilda added.

"*Sigh* this is getting us nowhere." Kimberly sighed

"I think he was trying to obtain cheap manual labor" Matilda went on.

"T-thanks we'll just be on our way" Kimberly said.

"Come again...or not, I'm just gonna lay down somewhere..." Matilda said as they left.

"That was a bust" Limbo said.

"Not entirely, we did gather some information" Aegis said.

"Yes, a male humanoid demon, how many could there possibly be?" Kimberly asked out loud.

"I have no clue, maybe we should ask that parade of demons coming our way" Lloyd said pointing to his right.

Marching towards them covering most of the main road was a parade made up entirely of male humanoid demons. A large banter on a weapon decorated float read 'Male Humanoid Demon Pride par the rest was cut off because they couldn't fit it all in. This was of course another excuse to get off from performing responsibilities. Yet from the choreography of the dancers, and the well rehearsed bands it made it seem like more work than simply doing their daily house hold chores, the irony of this has yet to be discovered despite all the years it has been in existence.

"Oh goodness is it Tuesday already?" Kimberly said.

"Time flies when your having...despair" Lloyd said.

"I knew there was something I was suppose to do today...join them in their celebration" Aegis realized.

The male demons of several classes flexed their muscles, roared with manly confidence, and tossing jars of concentrated protein shakes with mixed results as some caught it relatively easy, or broke nearby windows. They soon passed the Guild, and the Guild passed them to report their findings while carrying with them a recently caught protein shake.

Team 2: Berry Melon, Elfie, Firefly, and Peach Basket.

"Guild, Guild, Guild~, Guild~, Guild~!" Peach Basket, and Berry Melon sang.

"Anthem fun! Sing all day! Curse others with loud racket!" Peach Basket said.

"I hope we don't Walker down" Firefly said.

"You know this would be better suited for a Monster Tamer, I remembered my first encounter with one a long time ago. I was young, and a Empusa, she was young, and had a whip, there was still so much for me to learn about pleasure, but she showed new ways one can find excitement even through pain" Elfie began.

"Sounds like you learned a lot" Berry Melon innocently replied

"Y-you're gonna let me finish my story with double entendres? (Walker would have stopped me by now Elfie said surprised.

"Well you haven't finished right?" Berry Melon said.

"...Suddenly I don't feel like finishing the rest of my story" Elfie said.

"Heal member breathing normal! Stopped turning red! Curse unsuccessful" Peach Basket reported.

"I-I'm still a little new at this" Firefly said embarrassed.

"That's why I insist you come to my part time job as a counselor these days, in fact you should all listen to my shameless ranting, and visit me in my room for some privacy in our session. Just give me some time to purchase some scented candles, and a long couch" Elfie insisted.

"You're so helpful, I trust you completely" Berry Melon said.

"Thank you, it's always so difficulty for demons to get close to me without a sense of trust" Elfie said.

"Weren't we suppose to be looking for a Prinny" Firefly asked.

"Oh yeah, we should start actually looking around" Elfie said.

"Peach Basket looking! Good job so far!" Peach Basket exclaimed.

"Maybe we should wait until we actually find one first before saying that" Elfie said.

"Ooah" Peach Basket groaned.

"Where are we going?" Firefly asked.

They found themselves in the woods, but they could still hear the commotion of the demon residents.

"Looks like we made a wrong turn at Albuquerque...thrift store" Elfie said.

"Nothing we can do about it now, let's just turn back" Firefly said.

"Wait! I can hear something close by" Berry Melon suddenly said.

"A noise in the woods from something we can't see?" Firefly said visibly shaking.

"Peach Basket hear it too! Not curse chant! Sounds like snoring" Peach Basket said.

"It could be our Prinny" Elfie said.

"I don't think Prinnies snore by purring" Berry Melon said.

They moved forward toward the sound of the noise, pushing some bushes aside they spotted a small clearing of extra long grass, and at the center sleeping was a monster Catsaber.

"Oh~ it's that kitty we met!" Berry Melon exclaimed.

"How can you tell it's the same cat?" Elfie asked.

She didn't get an answer as she was too distracted by the Catsaber who's sensitive hearing alerted it to the presence of demons nearby.

"Me~w" the Catsaber yawned softly

Translation(Who dares risk their miserable lives by awakening I?)

"Aw~ it's so adorable, I'm sorry miss kitty, did we wake you up from your happy dream?" Berry Melon squeaked.

"Mew, meow the Catsaber responded.

Translation(This empty headed nitwit has a deathwish if she continues to speak to me in that manner.)

"It certainly seems like she remembers us" Elfie said.

"Meow!" the Catsaber excitedly proclaimed.

Translation(My memories of you are miniscule, and worthless, I am far too important to remember such fools)

"Catsaber~ never seen one! Smaller than I thought! Smaller than Peach Basket!" Peach Basket said.

"Mew-mew!" the Catsaber said

Translation(Ah~ a Shaman, and a stupid one no less, I can make use of her curses for my next demonic ritual!)

"I know this is sudden, but if we can't find a Prinny let's just take this little guy with us" Berry Melon advised.

"Great idea! He'll love another mouth to feed, and pay for" Elfie said.

"I know right! Thanks for your honest opinion" Berry Melon said.

"You're welcome" Elfie said

"Come here kitty, kitty! Come to big sis Berry Melon" Berry Melon said.

"Mew, mew-mew! Meow!" The Catsaber said jumping up, and down.

Translation(Get your filthy hands off me! I am to remain clean of thy mediocrity, and I fear your stupidity will rub off on me!")

"Aw~ He really likes me!" Berry Melon said picking it up, and cradling like a baby.

"I don't know about this...I heard they have claws...and sharp teeth" Firefly said.

"Aw~ this little cutie wouldn't anyone...that's not on our side" Berry Melon said.

"Meow~ mew The Catsaber replied.

Translation(I will make you suffer for this transgression. I will devour your innards, and use the rest as my playthings!)"

"We need to give it a name, we'll just change whatever name it already has as it's new owners of course" Elfie said.

"Mew, mew!" Catsaber said flailing excitedly in Berry Melon's arms.

Translation(I already have a name, it is Skullrex the Annihilator!)

"Let's call her Misha!" Berry Melon said.

"I am instantly in love with the name Misha, let's do it!" Elfie said

"Welcome to our guild Misha" Firefly nervously welcomed.

"Misha, Misha, Misha!" Peach Basket exclaimed.

"Meow, meow!" The now named Misha said.

Translation(Unhand me you cretin! I have not decided to join with any of you, I will destroy you!)

"Just think when we get back, and have dinner you'll get to eat all the fish, and milk you want!" Berry Melon declared.

"*Purr Misha replied.

Tranlation(Hm~ maybe you are some use, alright! From now on you'll all be my personal servants/harem. You shall cater to my every whim, and maybe I shall assist in combat if I feel like it.)

Walker, and Milky

"So all I'm asking is to feel a little less like a Thief, and more like a teammate, what do you think?" Milky asked.

"You chose that profession, you gotta live with the bad side of it as well" Walker muttered.

"By the way here's your wallet, I couldn't help myself" Milky said tossing a brown snake leather wallet towards Walker.

"...*Sigh* well at least you returned it, I'll get pissed off at the next fight" Walker said not looking away from the area.

"Y-you're really focused on this aren't you?" Milky said sounding impressed.

"Someone has to be serious in this" Walker said.

"I guess...mind if I ask to know more about your teacher?" Milky asked.

"I thought I went through this, I admired, but not idolized him. He was an Outlaw, he was not nice, strict when he train you, lazy when taking a day off." Walker said not adding anything different.

"I see..." Milky awkwardly said.

Walker grunted as he continued to scope out the area.

"Don't talk much I see" Milky said.

"Not really" Walker said.

"Argue a lot though" Milky added.

"I won't deny that" Walker said.

Moment of silence

"What made you want to become a Gunner?" Milky asked.

"The western movie 'Tombstone'...and a 'Fistful of Dollars' during movie night so long ago I can't remember exactly when." Walker admitted.

"Did you tell anyone else this?" Milky asked.

"No one asked" Walker answered.

"Oh..." Milky said disappointed.

"Wait a minute...no way, I found our target! He's over there on the other side!" Walker exclaimed.

A wild Prinny appeared!

"Go Milky!" Walker ordered

Walker sent out Milky!

"Talk some sense into that Prinny, get him to join us!" Walker instructed

Milky obeyed! Milky used sense! It wasn't very effective, Prinny is trying to escape!

"Damn it! Here take this rope, take him in by force!" Walker ordered tossing Milky a long line of rope.

Milky caught, and used bind! It missed!

"Try again don't let it escape!" Walker encouraged.

Milky used bind! Critical hit, it's super effective! Walker caught Prinny!

"We're gonna have to give it a nickname now" Walker said.

"*Phew* that was quite a chase." Milky said.

"Indeed it was, but you did good kid" Walker assured.

"Oh you know...I saw it as something else I could steal." Milky bashfully responded.

"W-wait a second, please! I already have a name dood!" The prinny declared as he attempted to free himself in vain.

"Oh yeah you do, now that I can look at your stats...so your name is 'Blank'?" Walker said.

"Pretty much, that's the name I was given dood!" Blank answered

"So here's the news, you're gonna work off your sins by working for us now, only this time we're gonna have complete custody of you so you're gonna be seeing a lot of in your future" Walker explained.

"Custody to you guys? Since when dood?" Blank.

"Since I said so right now, that's when. Ready to head for home?" Walker asked.

"Do I have too dood?" Blank asked.

"Well the dishes aren't gonna do themselves you know" Walker said with a smirk.

Still tied up, Walker carried the captured Prinny over his shoulder. Blank dangling from side to side behind Walker's back, effectively covered in rope from neck to...toes?

"Well all in all a job well done" Milky said.

"Yes, today has been a mix of good, and bad. I'm just glad we finished just as it's getting dark" Walker said.

"These ropes are too tight dood!" Blank complained.

"That's nothing compared to being hogtied by my teacher, you would have passed out by now from lack of oxygen" Walker assured.

"Can't believe we were the ones that actually did it, I wonder how everyone will react?" Milky said.

Team 1 were the first to enter the Guild Headquarters

"I'll be honest, I wasn't expecting my first assignment to end in failure" Aegis admitted as they returned home, and headed towards the dining hall.

"What else did you expect hanging out with me" Lloyd said depressingly.

"At this point, I am too exhausted to even concern myself with Walker's future scolding. I simply wish to dine on a hot, tasty meal with a cup of tea with me, and go to sleep" Kimberly said.

"Amazing how I died with no regrets in me, and yet as a ghost I am already growing several" Limbo said.

"So I suppose we wait for everyone to return then?" Kimberly asked.

"We weren't instructed to do more, besides it is very dark outside, and none of us could actually see all that well in darkness" Aegis said.

"Except for me of course. One of the numerous traits of being an Archer, and I suppose Walker could as well being a Gunner, and all" Kimberly said.

"I applaud your trait" Aegis dryly responded.

"I'm sorry did I hear a hint of sarcasm in your voice? Are we really going to do this at this time of day?" Kimberly began.

"You hear what you what you want to hear, not what you actually hear. Admitting to a mistake like would be more admirable, not to mention mature" Aegis said.

"I'll have you know this guild was nothing, but a bunch of uncivilized peasants until I demonstrated class to them" Kimberly said.

"Don't I get a say in this?" Lloyd said.

"We already have an idea of how you're going to respond, don't worry about it, and just let the big demons handle it" Kimberly assured.

"Oh" Lloyd muttered sadly

"Welcome to my world" Limbo said.

"Thank you for having me...could have ended up somewhere nicer though" Lloyd said.

"You get what you came for" Limbo responded.

"I don't believe that is the right saying" Lloyd responded.

"Where was I...? Oh fiddlesticks! I can't think straight like this, I need my tea" Kimberly said rushing out of the dining, and into the kitchen.

"It appears as if I won the battle, but not the war, I wonder if she's enjoying our little banter?" Aegis said.

"Deceiving her into playful argument without telling her?" Limbo said.

"Pointless, she'll just forget about it once everyone else brings their voices into the conversation" Lloyd said

They heard the door to the front door open.

"Speaking of the others..." Aegis said.

"Yoo~hoo~!" Berry Melon bellowed cheerfully

"In here!" Aegis called out.

The double doors swung open as Kimberly had just finished preparing a piping hot tea pot full of her desired tea. Elfie, Peach Basket, Firefly, and Berry Melon still carrying their new forced team member.

"Uh...Berry Melon was it? Who is that?" Aegis asked.

"It looks like a Catsaber...I'm confused..." Lloyd said.

"Don't tell me you forced that monster to join your cause too?" Limbo said.

"He wasn't forced! This little cutie wanted to come with us, and her name is Misha!" Berry Melon argued.

"Meow!" Misha responded

Translation(The filth lies! I was promised a meal fit for a Overlord, yet it looks as if you can barely sustain yourselves!)

"See? She's saying hello" Berry Melon said as he placed Misha down, surprisingly it did not make a break for it.

"We just like to think he's saying what we want it to say,*tee hee Elfie innocently explained

"That sounds oddly cruel actually" Limbo protested.

"Oh you!" Elfie said happily.

"I'm sorry, we messed up, and so we brought Misha with us as a sort of compromise" Firefly nervously explained.

"Is everyone here now? I have just prepared the tea let's all discuss this" Kimberly said as she reentered the dining room, only to pause once she saw the Catsaber.

"I suppose I should get dinner ready for us then" Elfie said leaving the room.

"Who is that?" Kimberly asked.

"Misha! New ally! Catsaber!" Peach Basket explained

"I believe you had it mixed up Berry Melon, we were looking for a Prinny, not a Catsaber" Kimberly corrected

"I know that!" Berry Melon exclaimed.

"Good, at least you recognize your mistake" Kimberly said approvingly.

"Misha will be a very handy member of our Guild" Berry Melon assured.

"It's funny because Misha doesn't have hands, but paws!" Elfie shouted from the kitchen.

"Yes, yes we are all aware of what she has accomplished in her previous statement" Kimberly said nodding.

"So it seems both our groups have failed" Lloyd said.

"But in the bright side we are still being fed" Kimberly said.

"Good point" Aegis said.

"Let us discuss our travels with a tasty feast" Kimberly said.

"Still working on it!" Elfie called out.

"Hungry! Need meat...curly haired one...no meat, flat..." Peach Basket grumbled.

"I beg your pardon!" Kimberly angrily exclaimed.

"Coward...lot's of meat *drool* breast meat bigger than Peach Basket's head! Thigh meat plumped not much, just right...can I eat leg?" Peach Basket grumbled as drool continued to escape from her mouth

"A-a-ah w-why are you looking at me like that? Y-you're scaring me Firefly stammered as Peach Basket got closer

"Meow, meow, meow!" Misha exclaimed

Translation(yes~ excellent, this will be quite enjoyable! Rip her to shreds, and save me a piece!)

"Ditto" Berry Melon said agreeing to whatever she thought Misha was saying.

"Healer anytime you're ready with your delicacies, we could really use it right now!" Aegis called out.

"Still working on it, I've already blasted the stove to as high as they could go. Meat takes quite a bit to finish, don't want anyone to get sick" Elfie said.

"Yes that's right! Peach Basket, you'll get sick if you start biting at Firefly when she's so raw" Kimberly said.

"Peach Basket don't care, hungry now!" Peach Basket declared.

"Food isn't all that important, sometimes staring at your meal could satisfy you, just look deeply into her like I do" Limbo said.

"Not enough, more I look, more I want Peach Basket said.

"I think we lost her to hunger" Limbo said.

"True she's gonna consume our poor Knight as an appetizer, and then she won't have any room to eat the main course." Aegis realized.

"Oh no Berry Melon moaned

"I-I'm not a meal!" Firefly exclaimed

"Make yourself unappealing!" Elfie advised from the kitchen.

Meanwhile just outside

"Oh no...I can hear them screaming, and shouting incoherent stupidity" Walker groaned

"That means it's gonna be a lot of stuff for you to clean Blank" Milky revealed.

"Doo~d" Blank complained

"I'm almost afraid to go inside" Walker said.

"Can you at least untie me now dood?" Blank pleaded.

"You only have yourself to blame for this predicament" Milky reminded.

"*Sigh* let's just get it over with, maybe they can still listen to reason" Walker hoped.

"How did I get roped into this dood?" Blank punned

"Just for that I think we'll have you mow the lawn twice tomorrow" Milky declared.

"Dood" Blank moaned.

Walker glanced at his front door, moving his hand towards the knob with shaky hands. Opening the door only slightly doubled the loudness of his guild's shouts of screams, and panic.

"(Start a guild I said, it'll be awesome I said!)" Walker thought in his head with heavy regret.

"Glad I'm the normal one on your squad right Walker? By the way here's your wallet again...I'm sorry" Milky said a little depressed soon after.

"No harm, no foul...but next time I'm cutting your pay...which I now have to divide by at least ten, and just like that we've gone back to broke" Walker said.

"I can barely hear anything from the screaming dood!" Blank declared.

Walker (Carrying Blank), and Milky entered inside, the double doors where all the noise was coming from just a few feet away.

"If I'm gonna run into chaos, I might as well do it like a boss" Walker muttered.

"Technically you are the boss, or the same as one" Milky reminded.

"Yeah...I'm the boss...of them..." Walker said losing confidence.

He swung open the doors, and what a sight to behold did Walker's eyes beheld. Lloyd was squatting in a dark side of a corner muttering to himself, Aegis stood against a wall as if nothing was happening, Limbo was hovering above the table for reasons Walker was unsure of. Kimberly was shouting angrily at everyone for disturbing her 'tea session', Elfie was nowhere to be seen, but was heard occasionally shouting bad advise from the kitchen. There was a random Catsaber he has never seen before jumping up, and down excitedly, and strangest of all were Berry Melon, Peach Basket, and Firefly. Apparently Firefly was flailing around the room in a state of pain, and panic was Peach Basket was seen sucking on Firefly's right upper thigh, what he didn't know was that Peach Basket was trying to chew through the legging to get to the skin, and was taking longer that she had thought. All this while Berry Melon was chasing after them bonking Peach Basket repeatedly with her staff like an owner would do to their dog with a rolled up newspaper.

"Hello!" Walker bellowed, tired of being ignored.

Everyone stared at him, though they did not stop what they were doing.

"Lloyd, Aegis, Limbo, and whoever the hell you are, sit down on the table. Kimberly...set the table, take this Prinny with you, he answers to Blank" Walker began finally untying the rope.

The Prinny now free looked at his situation, then the wide open doors he could probably escape to, then Walker's glare, and proceeded to follow Kimberly towards the cupboards.

"Firefly I know it hurts, but stand still, Berry Melon quit whacking her, and sit down with everyone else, Milky you do the same. I got this" Walker assured.

He walked quietly towards Firefly, and knelt down towards Peach Basket who continued to bite on Firefly's thigh, but stared at Walker regardless.

"You're that hungry huh? I guess I'm partially to blame for this, but if you stopped chewing, and started smelling you could already tell that cooked meat is on it's way" Walker calmly began, he even had a small grin to his face

Peach Basket's tiny nostrils twitched slightly, and suddenly she began to drool even more, the new wave of saliva brought shivers to Firefly.

"Yeah, I'm practically drooling about it now too, that being said, I'm gonna have to pry you off of Firefly since we need her at her best, and she can't do it with you stuck on her leg like that. So I'll just..." Walker continued in his calm, almost relaxed tone.

He moved his hands gently upon Peach Basket, and began to tickle her, at first accomplishing nothing, but quick spasms. After a while though Peach Basket could not contain herself, and laughed out loud, upon doing her mouth slipped right off of Firefly's thigh. In that instant Walker quickly stopped tickling her, picked her up, and placed her on a random seat at the table, then wordlessly sat down himself along with Firefly as Kimberly, and Blank had finished placing their plates, utensils, and were now returned to the kitchen to help carry the food.

"Looks like I underestimated you Walker, it seems like you have a lot of traits a leader should have" Aegis complimented.

"You even brought a Prinny! You're so cool bro!" Berry Melon exclaimed.

"We knew you could do it, I never lost hope" Kimberly added as she entered the room accompanied by Elfie, Blank, and tons of food.

"You're our super leader" Elfie declared.

"I see you forced another monster to join your cause, I'm starting to see a pattern here" Limbo said.

"Compliment me all you want, you guys still failed" Walker said.

"And I didn't!" Milky exclaimed

"Wha~t? Oh no we're not complimenting you to take your mind off our failures. We just felt it's been too long since we praised you isn't that right?" Elfie said.

"That's right! She's the honest one!" Berry Melon said.

"But what you said is part of the reason too" Elfie admitted.

"Whatever, let's just eat, Peach Basket your soaking the table. Ah what the hell do I care we have a Prinny that will take care of that" Walker said.

"Got it dood" Blank said.

"So while we're eating I think I should start things off by asking what the hell is a Catsaber doing eating a grilled small mouthed bass?" Walker said.

"*Nom-nom-gulp*-ah~...she's our new team member Misha!" Berry Melon said

"...Why?" Walker asked.

"Why not?" Berry Melon said.

Misha was too busy stuffing her face with fish to be bothered to answer.

"Well can the Catsaber even do that whole magi-change thing, and turn into a gun?" Walker asked.

"Of course! They come with it" Elfie said.

"Well then I guess that's good enough reason for Misha to stay then" Walker said.

At this point Misha was on the floor with the bass on her face as she continued to chomp on it, leaving not even bones. Similar to Peach Basket except that Peach Basket was still sitting on her seat, and the meat was still on the plate.

"Well said Misha!" Berry Melon complimented.

"Limbo aren't you gonna eat?" Firefly asked.

"Unless you want me to puke ectoplasm I'll be just fine" Limbo said.

"So that's where it comes from... I was wondering how ghosts with no physical bodies are able to produce something physical like ectoplasm. So it's-" Kimberly began.

"Vomit? Yes, yes it is" Limbo answered.

"And like that I lost my appetite, but I'll force few more mouthfuls" Walker muttered.

"Did you check under the table?" Elfie joked.

"Nice" Milky complimented

"Ha, ha" Walker grumbled.

"Hey Walker our team brought you something as well" Aegis said placing a large jar of protein shake on the table.

"A large jar of disgusting proteins in powder form?" Walker said.

"I say you, and Lloyd could use it seeing how weak your throwing arms are" Aegis said.

"I can take the recoil of a large gun I think that's enough strength for me" Walker grumbled.

"A water pistol is not a large gun" Aegis corrected.

"Just wait smartass" Walker assured.

"I can actually if it is your order" Aegis said.

"Peach Basket feels full! Peach Basket all better now!" Peach Basket suddenly declared.

"Hear, hear!" Aegis declared raising a cup in celebration.

"Peach basket did stupid things, hit with hungry curse, no control..." Peach Basket said.

"That's fine no harm done. The psychological pain will go away...eventually" Firefly said.

"Ah~ that was delicious!" Milky at last said after finishing her meal first.

"Indeed it was, let's hope we get more assignments so we can keep eating like this" Walker said.

"We're gonna need a bigger clientele" Elfie said.

"You're right this town won't cut it soon. We'll have to expand, but that can wait a little while longer" Walker said.

"This is turning out to be just as you said, a little louder than I pictured it though" Kimberly said.

"For now let's just rest, to everyone new here, you are welcome to any empty room of your choosing provided that no one has taken it yet. Blank clean up this mess before you sleep, and remember to wake up early, and rake the dry leaves, mow the lawn, clean the gutters, sweep the floors, water the grass, clean our rooms, filter out the muck in the sewage pipes, cut the overgrown branches, cut the bushes around the building into squares, take out the trash, replace the dimming light bulbs, give the wood here a nice polished finish, do the morning meal dishes, clean the bathrooms do our beds, and don't forget to put a chocolate mint on the pillow like all those fancy hotels do" Walker instructed.

"Is that all dood?" Blank said sounding unimpressed.

"Those are just at the top of my head, I'll come up with more in the morning. Now if everyone's done let's get some sleep" Walker at last said.

Everyone done with their meals stood up, and left the dining room leaving Blank alone to clean up their mess.

"You guys can wash yourselves on the personal bathroom each room has" Walker casually said as he opened the double doors to the long L shaped hallway containing several doors, each containing a personal room spacious for one, and comfy for two.

"I'm not even going to point out which of our rooms is which you'll figure it out by watching us go into our own, night all" Walker said heading towards his own sleeping quarters.

"Nighty, night! Can't stay this cute, and innocent awake all day you know" Berry Melon said

"True, there is much a lady such as myself must do to keep my beauty" Kimberly said.

"I'm just really sleepy is all" Firefly said

"I have a lot of clever innuendos to be thinking of right now, so if you'll excuse me" Elfie said being the next person to return to their room.

"I suppose those nightmares aren't gonna appear by themselves" Lloyd said retreating towards his room with a slouch.

"I don't have much to do tonight, maybe I will sleep a little early today" Milky said returning to her own room.

"Peach Basket!...Used lots of energy...now full, tired...sleepy Peach Basket muttered as he once full of energy personality was closing on the empty side.

Berry Melon waved goodnight, and returned to her room by then, as well as Firefly, and Kimberly.

"Looks like our choices are now clear" Aegis said.

"Then I suppose I shall take the room next to Kimberly, hope she does not mind" Limbo said floating towards said door, not even bothering to open it, instead fazing through it.

"I shall rest in a room nearest to the door that is not taken if that's okay by you" Aegis said.

He looked down at the only other living thing in the hallway which was Misha.

"Why am I even telling you this?" Aegis wondered out as he left for his new accommodation.

"Mew, mew...mew, mew" Misha meowed.

Translation(Yeah, you better run lowlife)

Misha walked towards an empty room near the end of hallway, despite passing several others rooms that were still vacant.

The lights dimmed out saved for several in the kitchen were Blank was currently doing the finishing touches on the dishes. The night flew by as a creeping shadow sneaked her way inside the building with a devilish grin. The mysterious intruder's figure was rather voluptuous, easy on the eyes, and exceptionally feminine. She opened the dining room doors fairly slightly, only to see a Prinny mopping the floor, though not his job, he just knew it would be on the list of things to do anyways. She quickly, but quietly closed the door, then tried the second pair of double doors. She noticed it lead to a hallway, and quickly slipped through the crack opening she made, having difficulty at first fitting her chest all the way through until she had to open the door completely. She scolded her bulbous breasts quietly, and tip toed the rest of the through the hallway, her cowboy boots made it next to impossible to sneak around quietly, but it was enough. Along the way she noticed one of the doors opening, and quickly slid into a more darker corner of the hallway. Daring to take a peak she saw a Red Mage walking groggily, but clearly awake out of one room, and entering another. She waited for what seemed like an eternity until it was obvious the red mage was not leaving the room she had just entered. Feeling all was clear she had a sudden brainstorm, and began a quick investigation by first entering the room the Red Mage was previously at. Luckily for her the door was unlocked, and slightly ajar so it was easy to sneak in. Inside she saw nothing special in particular, the room was empty, but it had to be her room right? Wanting to know more before finding her target, or at least confirm something deep inside the back of her mind where her memories are kept she left the room, and walked over towards the door the Red Mage had went inside. Her heart beating fast, it was a do, or die from here on out, any mistake would cost her everything if she got caught. She opened the door half expecting someone to come out the other end, but upon opening it slightly, and peeking in she saw nothing of the kind. She decided to up the ante as she has always done when she plays her games, went inside, and took a closer look. She was surprised to see not only her target, but the Red Mage as well sleeping soundly next to him as if she had always been there. She had seen this type of behavior before, Walker had told her the story, and complained about it countless times, but it took a while before she put two, and two together until it finally dawned on her.

"(Eliza...somehow I knew you're were going to end up like this. Good thing I didn't make any bets, I thought for sure you would have been a Brand New Idol, or something She thought to herself giggling softly.

She then turned to her real objective, Walker. The time of reckoning is upon her, but she must be patient, while it's true her friend's sister was a sleeping corpse in the morning, she was still sensitive just after beginning her snooze. She would have to wait, but it will be all worth it to give Walker a blast from the past, after all it has been years since she had done this. Yet she knew she could perform it without fault, and once she realized the little one was now completely out cold she grinned menacingly, it took everything in her power to keep from laughing maniacally, but she did have something to say.

"Jackpot" She playfully whispered in her western accent as she began her work.

The morning sun blasted it's light giving rays at Walker. Even before opening his eyes he noticed a sharp pain in his spine, as if sleeping on a bed of pointy rocks. He grumbled to himself, and waved his hand to the right where he predicted Berry Melon would be sleeping besides him. Unfortunately though he struck at nothing, but air, and his swing moved his body to the right, and as soon as he opened his eyes, the last thing he saw was a thick tree branch before falling several yards down, hitting, and breaking several weaker branches beneath him. He fell with a *thud*on the grassy ground doing little to cushion his fall. Once the agonizing pain was reduced to stinging sensations he was finally able to get his brain working again to contemplate what happened. He remembered sleeping in his own bed, in his own room, at ground level. Now he wakes up from the highest branch from one of the tallest trees near his building, all of this felt very familiar. Suddenly wave after wave of memories filled Walker's mind. Memories of him waking up from tall buildings, and cliff edges, and then it all became clear. There was only one person he knew who would drag his sleeping body onto high foot hills, mountains, buildings, and now apparently tall trees, and get a kick out his pain, and misery.

"Sasha!" Walker roared in anger waking everyone his guild, except for an oblivious Berry Melon who was cuddling what she thought was Walker. Instead it was a giggling young Gunslinger who's prank was a complete success.

_End of Chapter_

_Sorry for the long wait, there was more content than I had planned, but I'm glad at how it turned out. Gonna speed the recruiting process a little faster, but it should still take a while before everyone is present. Also I apologize, and I should have mentioned this from the beginning, but if you do want to include a class with a OC personality you have made, then they will have their names changed through the random name generator in the games by me just like all the others. I have to do it with all my characters so it's only fair that yours should go through the same process, you don't want to be accused of being Mary Sue do you? So if you feel like you don't want to have your OC suddenly get a name like Melon Bucket, or Birthday Cake, then I understand. Thank you for your advices, reviews, support, patience, and for just reading up to this point!_


	10. Chapter 10

_Chapter 10: Oddballs, and Odd jobs_

_Even if they're not entirely by my own choosing I like the names the cast has been given._

_Blank: I have a few complaints about mine dood_

_How so? Your name was without a doubt in the random name generator, it is a legit name just like all the others. Enjoy!_

Guild: Early Morning.

Walker dragged his broken, and beaten body through the foliage, and into the front door of his abode where several of his members had already begun to drag themselves towards the dining hall earlier than expected.

"Walker~ you know you don't have to beat yourself up if you want me to spit on you. I can take care of that fetish of yours whenever you please" Elfie dryly said as she rubbed the sleep off her messy bed hair covered face.

"...If I weren't so pissed off at somebody else right now...I would have said some really offensive things to you right now...go prepare breakfast" Walker groaned.

They went inside the dining hall.

"You look positively beaten! What on Earth happened?" Kimberly asked sounding reasonably worried.

"I fell off a tree..." Walker said as he was about to rub a sore spot on his spine with his left hand until he discovered that his left arm was also broken.

"I remember falling off trees when I was in training. Ah~ memories, my teacher always had my favorite chocolate bars to heal myself up" Milky said.

"Falling off high places is of no concern to me. As I recalled one training session, the first thing they did to test our armor was to tie us up, and shove us down a steep rocky hill. Needless to say I'm wearing the very same armor that went through that ordeal, and I didn't even have to repair it...I on the other hand suffered several broken bones, and went into a coma" Aegis said.

"...I'm so glad I'm a ghost all of a sudden" Limbo said as she phased through a wall that seperated the room to the kitchen.

"Your stories do not make me feel any better" Walker said.

"I still recommend my services" Elfie said.

Walker did not respond as she sat down a nearby seat at their long table, those in the room with him did so as well.

"So you don't want to be healed...n-not because you want to, just because you need it of course" Elfie quickly said.

"*Sigh* if I'm gonna face her, I don't want her to see how badly injured she got me, so yes I would appreciate it" Walker grumbled.

"Well I don't know about that, I think that look suits you better. Did you give yourself a black eye just for little old me?" A teasing voice suddenly spoke out.

They turned around towards the double doors to see a Gunslinger class carrying a still sleeping Berry Melon in her arms.

"You no good, skunk sniffing, slower than molasses son of a-*ack*! Could you have at least waited for me to finish my insult?" Walker exclaimed as Elfie decided right then, and there to cure Walker's injuries with her healing spit.

"Those injuries could have gotten infected by the time you would have finished" Elfie said.

"That takes days!" Walker reminded.

"Exactly" Elfie said.

"*Giggle* looks like you bagged yourself a winner there Walker" Sasha teased as she moved towards the table, and gently placed Berry Melon on it.

"Do you know know this ruffian?" Kimberly asked.

"'Course I do, he, and I go way~ back, between you me, and anyone listening. We've been friends since before we even started our training. He was so gullible when he was a kid, and even now I see" Sasha said.

"Would you cut that out! I've been through more than enough ordeals to get over that" Walker said.

"Then you haven't been through enough partner 'cause I still got you" Sasha reminded.

"I really hate that smirk on your face...the one you always keep twenty four seven" Walker said.

"I missed you too, now can you treat me to some information why, our little Gunslinger Eliza turned into an even littler Red Mage?" Sasha asked.

"First off, she calls herself Berry Melon now, and secondly she reincarnated into a Red Mage as soon as she got into that Evil school she visited" Walker answered.

"So she goes by Berry Melon now...That explains why she didn't respond when I shouted Eliza" Sasha said.

"I think there's another reason for that" Milky said.

"Walker! Where are your manners? Aren't ya gonna introduce me to your friends?" Sasha asked

"My manners where none-existent from the very beginning, but if you must know then so be it. Our Thief class over there is Milky" Walker began.

"My skills are so vast, I can even swipe the pants off someone without them realizing!" Milky boasted.

"Well I wouldn't actually call what I'm wearing pants, or shorts for that matter sugar" Sasha said turning around, and bending over slightly.

"Okay, utterly pointless there Sasha, but whatever...our Archer who somehow made herself hot tea while we were talking is Kimberly" Walker continued

"Doesn't she remind of you of that time you tried archery, and sucked royally?" Sasha said.

"Oh? I did not hear that correctly, did you say Walker actually performed archery, and he failed entirely?" Kimberly asked now very interested.

"I finally forgot about that until you brought it up..." Walker grumbled.

"Ya should have seen him! The first, all the way up to his last time he couldn't hit the broadside of a barn!" Sasha said unable to contain her laughter.

"I must know more about this, perhaps you, and I could share a moment of each others time during afternoon tea?" Kimberly asked.

"I'd love to" Sasha agreed.

"I am not to be used for your joke fodder Sasha, not again!" Walker argued

"Well keep going! I'm liking this more, and more!" Sasha said.

The double doors open revealing several more members.

"Are here's someone to weigh down the mood. Sasha meet Lloyd, Lloyd...Sasha" Walker said

"Howdy!" Sasha cheerfully greeted.

Lloyd sighed to himself, dropping his head low as he wiped fresh tears from his face from an obvious repeated nightmare.

"Nice ta meet you!" Sasha went on happily.

"Im my waking hour I am all alone~

Inside my thoughts a miserable zone~

A new voice loudly heard~

Silence flying away like a bird~" Lloyd mumbled.

"...I can rhyme words too

But I think you're pretty neat

Is my haiku cool?" Sasha said

"...Acceptable" Lloyd said.

"This isn't gonna be repeatable is it?" Walker asked himself.

"Well go on, keep going" Sasha implored.

"Well one of our newest members would be Limbo over there" Walker continued.

"I use to be a super model before I became a ghost" Limbo announced.

"I can totally see it!" Sasha said.

"Really?" Limbo asked hopeful.

"Ah~ no" Sasha said flat out.

"Over there we have Aegis, also new" Walker went on.

"Can you really say that after being open for only a few days? Regardless I see yet another long range individual has joined our ranks" Aegis said.

Sasha's curiosity got the better of her, and she got closer to Aegis examining the heavy suit he was wearing all while knocking, and tapping at it several times.

"Is there a problem?" Aegis asked.

"What's with all the scrap iron?" Sasha asked.

"It is not scrap iron! It is smelted metal made into a full body armor" Aegis corrected.

"Armor? What is this armor that you speak of?" Sasha asked with genuine confusion.

"It's something smart people use to keep themselves from getting injured in a fight" Aegis explained.

"Oh I get it! He's wearing a 'cowards fleece' as we use to call it back home ain't that right Walker?" Sasha said.

"Don't get him pissed off at me. Let's move on-" Walker began.

At this point Elfie was poking Walker's hat from behind him in an attempt to bring attention to herself.

"...Oh yeah! We have a Prinny, his name is Blank..." Walker remembered.

"Cool" Sasha said.

Elfie continued to prod Walker's hat, occasionally playing with the two holes in them until the double doors opened revealing more of the guild.

"You two finally awake, and ready? Sasha our Magic Knight Firefly" Walker continued.

"W-w-who is she, h-how did she get in here without us knowing!" Firefly nervously asked.

"Curse of lousy security!" Peach Basket answered.

"I knew there was something I forgot to tell Blank to do" Walker said.

"Hm~...I don't like competition" Sasha said.

"Uh...what?" Firefly said dumbfounded.

"Eliza was bad enough...I thought seeing her like as a Red Mage would have been a relief, but now I see you...my bust won't lose to yours" Sasha declares.

"I really have no control over that actually" Firefly awkwardly said.

At this point Elfie really wanted to have her say with Sasha, and Walker took notice.

"Alright, alright stop messing up my hat! Sasha...met Peach Basket!" Walker declared, soon after was being lightly pummeled by Elfie in an angry fit.

"You went so far as to hire a Shaman? My if I didn't know better I think you actually wanted to crush your dreams" Sasha said.

"We've established this already, it's a 'life's goal' get it right!" Walker argued.

"Well she is kinda cute, come here little one" Sasha said picking Peach Basket up like a child. Her paternal instincts which at first appeared nonexistent now beginning to bud.

"Peach Basket feels confused" Peach Basket declared

"How old are you?" Sasha cheerfully asked.

"She spent dozens of years dead until I accidentally payed for her revival so who knows" Walker explained.

"Peach Basket feels hunger! Need food!" Peach Basket cried out, flailing about in Sasha's arms

"Please give her some food!" Firefly quickly exclaimed.

"You better be in the kitchen cooking up some grub Blank!" Walker called out.

"C-coming dood!" Blank was heard shouting from outside.

"Well while we wait, why don't you get things started" Walker said looking at Elfie.

Elfie pointed at herself, and then at Sasha.

"Oh right I suppose I shou-hey! It's another new member of our group you should meet" Walker suddenly said.

Misha tiptoed towards the hall through the open double doors, Blank dashing quickly behind it, passing it, and rushed towards the kitchen to begin cooking.

"That Prinny that just ran through here was Blank, and this Catsaber's name is Misha apparently" Walker said.

Elfie grew only more irritable as she continued to prod Walker in retaliation.

"Hey there cutie, want to sit on my lap today?" Sasha offered.

"Mew! Meow, meow!" Misha responded.

Translation: ("Ah~ excellent, another harlot to add to my collection, I welcome you as your superior, and master!)

"Such a sweetheart isn't she?" Sasha asked

"I wouldn't notice seeing as how I wouldn't care-w-what the-!" Walker was saying until he was suddenly jumped on by Elfie.

Clinging to Walker's back she took attention seeking to a new level by pressing as much of her body as possible against Walker's while gently moving up, and down, and blowing softly in his ear.

"O-okay! Okay! Stop it, stop it! I'll introduce you, just get off!" Walker exclaimed quickly finding himself enjoying it despite his best efforts to resist such deprave feelings.

"Pervert" Kimberly was heard saying.

"Shut your face!" Walker exclaimed loudly.

Elfie eventually released Walker with a victorious smirk.

"Is it just me, or does she know a little too much about making a man feel good...for a Healer I mean" Sasha said.

"Reincarnated from a Empusa, this is Elfie who cannot, or more likely will not speak to anyone unless they introduce themselves first" Walker said as he wiped the sweat off his face.

"Oh, I see what you were doing Walker...saving the best for last were you, she must have put some sort spell over you other than heal" Sasha teased.

"Just tell her your name so she can help prepare the food" Walker said.

"My name's Sasha, and I liked what you did to him there, you gotta show me some of those moves" Sasha said.

"I am so glad we can finally have a moment to talk to one another, but I'm afraid I can't teach you what I know. Most of my skills as an Empusa are either long forgotten, or impossible for a Healer's body to do, I only carry small snippets of taunts now" Elfie explained.

"That's a mighty darn shame, but what can you do right? Nice to meet ya still!" Sasha said.

"It's a pleasure to meet you as well, now I must assist with the cooking so if you'll excuse me" Elfie said bowing slightly before heading towards the kitchen.

"Peach Basket still in melon ladies arms! Peach Basket want to run, and curse!" Peach Basket declared as she continued to struggle in Sasha's grip.

"Okay little one, there you go" Sasha said finally releasing Peach Basket.

"Sasha, why did you place Berry Melon on the table where we put our food?" Milky asked.

"Because the floor would be uncomfortable" Sasha answered.

"They are both flat, and made of wood, I fail to see the difference" Aegis said.

"We'll need to put food on this table, what would we do if Berry Melon is still asleep on it?" Milky asked.

"I have an idea! I read about it in a magazine on human world restaurants" Sasha said.

"Please don't make me regret this...what is it?" Walker asked.

"Well in some special places hidden just outside of the public eye, there are restaurants that serve food on other people's bodies! Sort of like a living table, we'll just put most of our food on her, and eat like that" Sasha said.

"(What kind of magazine was she reading?)" Walker wondered.

"Let's start! First things first we gotta strip off that dress, and leave her in her undergarments" Sasha began as she grabbed the bottom of Berry Melon's dress, and began to pull it upwards.

"I didn't give the order to do that!" Walker shouted, quickly bringing Sasha's action to an end.

"Oh! Well then we'll just wake her up" Sasha said.

"Easier said than done" Walker said relieved that Sasha immediately stopped before things went too far.

"Have you tried this..." Sasha began.

She took her left, and right pointing fingers, and began to suck on them, insuring that they were heavily coated in her saliva. The process taking much longer than it should have, as she would occasionally sneak glances at Walker to ensure he was watching her.

"Today Sasha!" Walker said not feeling anything other than impatience.

Sasha shrugged it off, and moved her soaked fingers onto both sides of Berry Melon's ears, and pressed them both inside her ears simultaneously. The result was instant, Berry Melon quickly sat upright swatting away at what she thought were baby slimy eels trying to have their way with her ears.

"Morning sunshine" Sasha greeted.

"E~w~" Berry Melon groaned as she felt her ears where still wet with what she thought was eel slime.

"No you're suppose to say morning back" Sasha corrected.

"I already said that!" Elfie was heard shouting

"B-but there's eel slime all over my ears, my cute, adorable, demon ears~" Berry Melon complained.

"No, no, no that wasn't eel slime that was...yeah it was eel slime" Sasha said.

"You're messed up" Walker muttered.

"Wait a second...Sasha! It's you! Long time no see!" Berry Melon quickly exclaimed as she realized who was talking.

"I got your letter, and came as soon as possible" Sasha said giving Berry Melon a thumbs up.

"Oh~ this is gonna be so much fun, and-...why am I on the dining room table?" Berry Melon asked.

"You were carried here" Firefly answered.

"Yes, we needed you awake so we can strip you down to your lingerie, have you lay on the table face up, and eat food off of you as if you were a table" Sasha said.

"We're not doing that!" Walker shouted angrily.

"Geez caring about your sister a little much?" Sasha teased.

"Don't start with me woman!" Walker argued.

"Geez you're still so stubborn I see" Sasha said

"I see you're still as annoying as ever" Walker grumbled

"*giggle* it's like the good old times again!" Berry Melon cheered.

"...You could sit down on a chair you know" Walker reminded.

"So I'm not gonna-" Berry Melon said.

"No" Walker said flat out.

Berry Melon took a seat in one of the empty chairs.

"Smell food! Coming soon! Cursed with waiting! Hate it, hate it!" Peach Basket exclaimed.

"Maybe I should assist in preparing desert?" Aegis said.

"No one's stopping you" Walker reminded.

"Do it~" Berry Melon moaned in a begging tone.

"Let me try, and get this clear...we have free reign to do whatever we please so long as we're on one of your assignments?" Aegis asked.

"That's the gist of it, yes" Walker said.

"Okay, just wanted to make sure...you must be new to this whole 'leading' position I assume" Aegis said.

"I haven't noticed seeing as how I've been working practically all day since I joined up." Milky said.

"We'll have a slow day eventually" Firefly assured.

"Personally I don't mind, it would be tiresome to have to take orders too often in a day" Kimberly said.

"Peach Basket use time! Make curse dolls for pack!" Peach Basket exclaimed.

"Now this is new, why on Earth would you go, and do such a foolhardy thing like that?" Walker asked.

"Ooah~ Peach Basket forgot curse dolls were surprise" Peach Basket muttered.

"Then why would you tell me...unless you don't see me as part of the group...*sigh* I should have expected this" Lloyd said.

"Food's ready!" Elfie called out as she came in holding several plates of food with Blank carrying several more with difficulty.

"Another tasty morning dish" Milky said.

"Who doesn't love hash browns with thick cut ham, and egg sandwiches on biscuits with fruit on the side?" Elfie said unintentionally specific.

"You could hold the sissy fruit, I'll just chow down on the rest of your dish right here" Walker quickly said.

Along with the rest of the team everyone began eating their given meal, even Blank was allowed to sit along side them, seeing as how no-one actually cared.

"You know what we need?" Berry Melon suddenly asked.

"Yes?" Walker said.

"Background music" Berry Melon suggested.

"For what purpose?" Kimberly asked.

"Well you know, to bring our conversations to a whole new level of fun" Berry Melon said.

"I like that, every comedy skit has got to have some lively background music playing to bring it to life" Sasha said.

"We're not a comedy group" Aegis reminded.

"I can only imagine what sort of music will be playing once I speak" Lloyd said.

"Jungle drums! I want jungle drums! Loud, matches curse chants! Everyone can play!" Peach Basket purposed.

"This restaurant is old, but it's not that old, there's a room next to the kitchen that has a sound system that connects to this room only" Walker revealed.

"Why would you tell us that?" Milky asked.

"Sasha here will stick her nose where it doesn't belong, and will discover that place eventually. I just wanted to beat her to it for once" Walker answered.

"Way to take the fun out of it" Sasha complained.

"It feels good to win" Walker said.

"Wait I'm lost here, are you suggesting that we should have background music for when we discuss matters here?" Limbo asked.

"What? No it's too distracting, besides how will we ever hear ourselves speak through such noise?" Walker said.

"Well make it real subtle that's how" Sasha said.

"We won't blast the music on max volume, but to a point where we can barely hear over out chats" Elfie said.

"Not you too" Walker said.

"Don't most of our conversations usual have one, or more of us shouting, wouldn't volume control adequately ensure we can hear ourselves, and the music when we shout, or whisper suddenly?" Aegis said.

"Don't tell me you're getting into this idea too!" Walker said unbelieving

"I'm sorry, but do we even have music?" Firefly asked.

"That's stuff is more valuable than gold! We don't even have a music salesman here either" Walker explained.

"Well it would be nice if there were some background music in these times." Berry Melon mumbled.

"Is this how we're going to spend our morning conversation?" Walker wondered out loud.

"Alright let's talk about your feelings Walker" Sasha said.

"So as I was saying the background music agenda will be put on hold, for now just use your imaginations." Walker quickly said.

"I suppose having a poor income would have us reach that conclusion" Limbo said.

"I would assist you in purchasing music, but there is still so much tea to purchase, so little time to drink it though" Kimberly said.

"Spoken like a true greedy rich girl" Walker said.

"I prefer the term noblewoman thank you" Kimberly said.

"Shaman! Call Peach Basket Shaman!" Peach Basket assured.

"Yeah, yeah we know that" Walker assured.

"Peach Basket wants no confusion" Peach Basket said.

"Logical reasoning, didn't think you savages had any" Aegis said.

"Ooah! Peach Basket not savage! Peach Basket likes dirt! Meat! Shouting curses! Not savage!" Peach Basket angrily retorted.

"Her grammar is awful, can somebody please translate that into something understandable?" Kimberly said.

"I believe she meant to say that she may like getting dirty, eating raw meat, and blatantly acting out with reckless abandon. She is not a savage, that is to say she does control herself sometimes, or at least at tolerable levels." Lloyd said.

"Blue sad Mage right! Understand Peach Basket!" Peach Basket said.

"*Sigh* I suppose so...but I don't feel any better" Lloyd said.

A knock on on the front door stopped their conversation.

"A visitor, client, or an enemy returning?" Elfie said.

"I'll answer it this time, prepare the Prinny just in case" Walker said.

"P-prepare the prinny what does he mean by that dood?" Blank nervously said

He got his answer when Aegis grabbed him by the skull.

"Any hostile will be treated with a preemptive strike I presume" Aegis said.

"You mean you had no idea dood!" Prinny cried out.

Walker casually walked towards the door, and opened it like it was no big deal though everyone else stopped eating, and rushed just behind the opened double doors while staying in the dining room. He opened the door, and greeting him was a Masked Hero Class.

"Have you opened your eyes, and saw the men behind the curtain?" The Masked Hero asked.

"Is that how you say hello?" Walker asked.

"Ah, I am getting ahead of myself, my work as an...activist. Yeah let's go with that, has me confusing my conversation with my calling out towards the political propaganda that has brainwashed many demons" the Masked Hero said.

"I pay no mind to any of that bull, but is there a reason for you knocking at my door?" Walker asked.

"I am in need of assistants, I wish to hire several of your members for an occupy movement I am currently in the process of making" the Masked Hero explained.

"By which you mean..." Walker said

"I have just started" the Masked hero admitted.

"Why do you care what happens here, isn't this a little too small time to be making any movement at all?" Walker asked.

"Does a demon become Overlord over night? Do the trees bear fruit the minute they are planted?" The Masked Hero countered.

"Alright, alright you got me there, but just who the hell are you?" Walker asked.

"We are incognito, we are myriad, we do not absolved, we do not dis-remember, you'll see us coming" The masked hero almost chanted as if he had memorized, and repeated those same words again, and again.

"That's nice...but I'm not calling you 'incognito', that's just stupid. Wait here, I still have my father's old hat he used to pick out my name from a number of names he kept within it." Walker said.

"Is this part of the customer treatment?" The Masked Hero said.

"You chose us, so I'll go easy on you, and let you pick out from a range of random names from my hat. In the meantime go introduce yourself to the rest of the guild so you can decide who to take with you" Walker invited.

"Very well, I am glad you are allowing me in your home. It is a relief that as the 99 percent we can depend on one another to fight the spoiled 1 percent." The Masked Hero said.

"Even 99 percent of the Netherworld won't stand a chance against the 1 percent Overlord, just wait at the hall. I'll be right back" Walker said.

Walker left to fetch a second hat he keeps in his room, in a closet somewhere while their Masked Hero Client entered the guild.

"Welcome, we'd love to hear more about your mission for us" Elfie said.

"I'll be brief, and provide as little as possible, I don't want to reveal my identity, or else my association with my...well let's just say we need to keep everything about each other secret so we can pull off the things we do." The Masked Hero said.

"So what are you gonna have us do exactly?" Kimberly asked.

"Nothing illegal of course, but important for awareness nonetheless" the Masked Hero said.

"There's something illegal here?" Milky asked out loud.

"The point is, we are all living under a false pretense created by the higher ups to keep us ignorant of the truth. We need to wake up, and expose the corporations of all their greedy destruction of the world!" The Masked Hero said.

"But we already destroy our world just fine by ourselves" Aegis explained.

"There is no real corporation is there?" Milky asked.

"Well there's the Rosen Queen Shop, but we've put up with their overpriced inventory for several millennium." Elfie answered.

"I believe you are mistaking human issues with demon ones...all we need to worry about is who, or what will kill us in a battle" Kimberly said.

"You don't understand, they are everywhere, listening to everything. They keep themselves hidden, but not entirely for it is easier to simply cover the people's eyes then to vanish. What I want is volunteers to join me in an occupy movement I have arranged at the Assembly building where the local senators are located." The Masked Hero revealed.

"So we just go there, and...wait?" Lloyd said.

"Boring job is boring! Peach Basket wants to curse! Can I curse assembly?" Peach Basket asked.

"Hey guys some mail came through the slot on the door..." Walker called out.

"Why didn't you get them?" Elfie asked.

"That's not my job...*Sigh* fine whatever..." Walker reluctantly said.

"So did you bring the hat?" The Masked Hero asked.

"I can't believe you're so reluctant to even do this, you know I was only joking right?" Walker said.

"Whatever keeps my true identity a secret. So long as I know my true self that is all that concerns me, now let me look at the hat." The Masked Hero said.

"Well okay here it is...it still has all the other names he put into it that could have been mine. This is actually the first time I'll be looking over them" Walker admitted.

"This must be a very emotional experience for you Walker, if you want a chest to rest your head in I'm always available" Sasha invited.

"What I meant was, this is my first time looking through this because I didn't care about it from the very beginning" Walker reiterated.

"*Ahem* shall we get started?" The Masked Hero asked.

"Go ahead" Walker said extending his second hat towards the Masked hero.

The Masked hero dug into the hat shuffling inside it for a bit until he grabbed a folded slip of paper. He unfolded it, and read the first name outloud.

"Bright Boy..." The Masked Hero read.

"Did I mention my father was drunk during the time he was writing the names down?" Walker suddenly said.

"It's close...maybe if it was Bright Man, then it'll be better, next..." the Masked Hero said reshuffling, and pulling out a second folded paper.

"So?" Walker asked.

"This Game Sucks...?" The Masked Hero said.

"I never did ask my father what else he was doing while writing the names..." Walker said

"Mr. Gentle Heart..." the Masked Hero said reading a third paper.

"Th-that one keep that one-*giggle*" Sasha cried out loud.

"It's not really fitting...hm~...Wyticatorz?" The Masked Hero said reading a fourth paper.

"Isn't that the name of some extinct species?" Milky asked.

"If it's not it sure sounds like it" Limbo said.

"Meow!" Misha responded

Translation: (I how dare these cretins insult the ancient of most ancient demigod)

"I know it does sound silly doesn't it Misha?" Berry Melon said

"...Detroit?" The Masked Hero read out loud.

"That fifth one sounds very weak...I beat anyone, or anything named Detroit will fall to our demon might" Aegis said.

"Fair enough, how about...Error?" The Masked Hero said.

"Do you have any idea how stupid you'll sound if you introduced yourself with that name?" Kimberly scolded.

"I am Error...good point next up is...Nicolas Gage" the Masked Hero said.

"Did me, and Eliza already took the only normal ones?" Walker asked.

"I really like that name, but there's something slightly off about it, that makes me say otherwise. It's a shame too it's so close to what I'm looking for" the Masked Hero said.

"I agree, but it could be your best option" Firefly said.

"Let's just wait, and see...Gonzaemon" the Masked Hero said out loud reading the eight entry.

"I think he mixed the names Gonzales, and Daemon then fused them together like that" Walker admitted.

"Take two good names to make one horrendous? I suppose he must have been drunk" Limbo said.

"He was also drunk when he was deciding on which one to choose" Walker admitted.

"Why are your parents so intoxicated when deciding such an important decision as your names?" Kimberly wondered out lout.

"It's tradition for Gunners to get drunk during a difficult life changing choice, I can remember some of my decisions..." Walker said.

Walker's Past Choices 1! Mac, or PC

"...I-I don't even know what the hell these box thingies are!" Walker slurred in a drunken stupor.

He then shot both computers, and passed out on the floor.

Walker's Past Choices 2! Ipod, or Zune

"Play music!" Walker ordered drunk out of his mind.

The Ipod did not respond to the order.

"Stupid gizmo!" Walker shouted, and then proceeded to toss the Ipod into a nearby lava pit.

"Why do you have so many buttons!" Walker demanded to know as he looked at the Zune, his drunken eyes deceiving him.

The Zune refused to comment.

"Wise guy eh? I'll show you!" Walker announced.

Walker kicked at the Zune with his heels like a hacky sack, and after kicking it fairly high into the air, Walker shot 6 shots into it. When it fell it only had a single bullet hole, though Walker would have went on to rant that he had shot through the same bullet hole rather than missing the other five if he had not passed out before it touched the ground.

Back to the Guild

"I never regret a single one of my decisions" Walker said.

"I think I've decided" the Mask Hero said.

"What's the name?" Walker asked.

"Phoenix...born with my eyes closed, but now reborn to see the world around me" Then now named Masked Hero said.

"Alright fine we'll call you that, but there's another issue here. Seems like these three letters I have are also job requests." Walker said.

"Busy day..." Elfie said.

"Good I say, we'll split into teams then, Phoenix you get to decide who goes with you, but I'm gonna need at least three on each of these jobs" Walker said.

"Fair enough, in that case I will take...the Blue Skull, the Shaman, and the Magic Knight" Phoenix said.

"Any particular reason?" Berry Melon asked.

"...None that I can think of" Phoenix said

"Alright I'm just gonna read the first one here, *ahem*" Walker began. "After seeing many of you fight yesterday I feel like I can be helped after all. I would like to borrow some of your member to help me out of a pickle, I promise to explain everything when we meet at my place, the directions are right below this paper, please respond soon" Walker read.

"Sounds like a bodyguard assignment, send me, and whoever you wish" Aegis said.

"Fair enough, Aegis you'll tag along with...Sasha, and Misha" Walker said.

"You're first job aren't you excited Misha?" Berry Melon asked.

"Meow, meow, meow!" Misha responded excitedly.

Translation: (I won't promise to bring your friends back alive, I'll desert them if the odds are not in my favor)

"I thought we would have gone together Walker, you're not getting out of this prank free you know, sleep with one eye open" Sasha warned.

"Next letter!" Walker said quite loudly. "As a demon, it is weird enough to socialize with others despite the obvious strength in numbers. Unfortunately it seems as if I am the worst of the worst for I find myself without an army like your Guild has recently been observed. I will pay for advice on how to acquire allies. I will meet you at the Empusa Fountain" Walker said.

"Advice...hmhm sounds like my kind of thing" Elfie said.

"Yes, but have you ever advised on how to encourage others to join your cause?" Walker said.

"How hard can it be, look at you" Elfie said.

"You're right...fine Elfie, me, and Berry Melon will be going on this one, it sounds rather dull compared to fighting, but I got try new things right?" Walker said.

"Yay we might not die!" Berry Melon said.

"Yes, it'll be just peachy" Elfie said

"Limbo, Kimberly, and Milky you'll be in charge of this one" Walker assured. "It just reads...I'm bored be my new playmates, follow the smell of cookies" Walker read.

"...I'm scared" Milky admitted.

"Lucky! Lucky the lot of ya!" Berry Melon shouted to the heavens

"Don't be, it's gonna be fine, I'm sure there's a logical reason for such a...you know what we'll walk you towards the place, and we'll pick you up as soon as possible" Walker said.

"I'll be able to send an S.O.S since I can escape fairly easily, I am a ghost after all" Limbo said.

"You don't have to repeat that we already know" Kimberly said.

"Blank will finish his chores around here as well as acting guard for the base. Anything broken will be coming out of your savings" Walker warned.

"Yes sir, dood!" Blank obeyed.

"If that's all settled then let's head out." Walker said

With their plates empty, and their stomachs full the Guild left their hall, and headed towards town.

"Anyone want to switch jobs with anyone?" Milky asked.

"Doesn't my order mean anything to you guys?" Walker said disappointed.

"I think she's concerned about her assignment" Elfie said.

"It's not fair that only Limbo can escape, how am I suppose to get out?" Milky asked.

"...You're a thief! You're suppose to already know an escape plan" Walker reminded.

"W-what if by the time I come up with one it's already too late?" Milky asked.

"I think you are overreacting quite a bit. We just sit down, talk play her little games, receive our compensation, then vacate the home" Kimberly said.

"Maybe..." Milky said.

"Aegis how do you feel about your job?" Walker asked.

"Won't be my hardest, maybe not my easiest, and though I did say I wouldn't mind working with others I still prefer to work alone" Aegis explained.

"Should have realized this would be inevitable once you joined us" Elfie commented.

"I assumed I would be standing guard at the front door for the rest of the day, as you can plainly see my armor was not made for traveling back, and forth through missions" Aegis said.

"We wouldn't know" Sasha said.

"Of course not..." Aegis realized.

"The pain reminds me that I'm alive" Lloyd confessed.

"Curses do the same! Maybe curse you too?" Peach Basket offered.

"Do it after we've split, I don't want to catch any of Lloyd's curse" Walker said.

"Ooah! Not how curse works! My curses different for different demons!" Peach Basket angrily explained

"Okay, okay don't get your...wait a minute...you are wearing one, right?...you are so not..." Walker said the discovery hitting him like a kick to the groin.

"Oh, don't be so perverted Walker she does too...no wait...she doesn't..." Sasha said the realization striking her like a bolt of lightning.

"Wha~?" Peach Basket said very confused.

"Are you two surprised? I knew from the beginning" Elfie said

"Change in subject?" Berry Melon squeaked.

"When the senators see us they will discover just how determined we are for change, and will force to atone for their corrupt deeds, and settle for a less corrupt, but still demon like change" Phoenix said.

"You...you are definitely off, but since you're paying I won't complain, how long have you been fighting...the men behind the curtain?" Elfie asked.

"For quite a while now, I made my voice heard through many parts of the Netherworld, but knowing the truth...sometimes it feels more like a curse" Phoenix said.

"Peach Basket approves!" Peach Basket cheerfully declared.

"Good for you Phoenix!" Berry Melon added.

"...I take it nothing is taken seriously here" Phoenix said.

"I try man...I try so hard to do so, but in the end it doesn't it always ends in their favor" Walker said.

"Come on Walker we don't want you to not have fun. You should join us...join us, join us" Elfie began chanting.

"You joined my guild so I could join you...there's a word for this somewhere, it's at the tip of my tongue" Walker said

"Stupid?" Sasha said.

"Good one, but not it" Walker said.

"Meow!" Misha suddenly exclaimed

Translation: (I'm starting to think you lot are far beyond what I believe was the epitamy of uselessness. Wait a second...my god! They got me into doing their service without my consent so what does that make me!)

Misha are you alright, you're staggering back, and forth, and grabbing your adorable little head" Berry Melon asked.

"Meow! Meow, meow, meow! Meow!" Misha excitedly shouted.

Translation: (They didn't even try, the Gunner just said I was going somewhere, and I am doing so without anyone forcing me too! They haven't converted to my cult either! I have failed thee dark one!)

"Walker, Misha is acting strange" Berry Melon reported as she saw Misha waving back, and forth as she, or quite possibly, and even more like 'he' walked

"It's just first mission jitters it'll get over it" Walker assured.

"So..." Elfie muttered close to Sasha.

"Yes..." Sasha said leaning close.

"Walker chose to go with me on his job" Elfie said.

"So?" Sasha said.

"Nothing at all, how are you?" Elfie asked.

"Oh just thinking...thinking how you're as blind as a bat you are with your eyes closed" Sasha teased.

"I see with my mind's eye" Elfie said.

"See what? Behind your eyelids?" Sasha asked.

"Well that, and well I may, or may not secretly open my eyes when no one is looking" Elfie said.

"Keeping secrets like that won't bring our team attack percentage up" Sasha reminded.

"Oh you!" Elfie playfully teased as she gripped her waist.

"Yes me!" Sasha said doing the same.

In that moment they became instant best friends.

"Ooo~" Limbo moaned.

He was ignored.

"...Ooo~" Limbo repeated.

"What are you doing?" Kimberly at last asked.

"Just working on my howling" Limbo answered.

"Well do it someplace else" Kimberly ordered.

"A-are you scared?" Limbo hopefully asked.

"No annoyed, I can't stand ghosts, not out of fear, but because I cannot tolerate them staring at me for long periods of time." Kimberly answered.

"...Ooo~" Limbo moaned with more vigor.

"Stop that this instant!" Kimberly said.

"Ooo?" Limbo moaned

"Stop!" Kimberly ordered yet again.

"Ooo~" Limbo moaned in a more depressed tone.

"Walker~ make Limbo stop moaning at me!" Kimberly whined.

"Any more rukus back there, and I'm turning this trip around, and then none of us get paid" Walker warned.

"So how's life treating you as a Red Mage Eliza?" Sasha asked.

"It's Berry Melon now!" Berry Melon reminded.

"Sorry, kind of forget, silly me" Sasha admitted.

"It's been fun actually, I feel happier for some reason. Can't really see through a crowd though, I feel like I have to walk more steps than the rest of the group, but at least the back strains I use to feel are completely gone" Berry Melon said.

"So how's magic treating you?" Sasha asked.

"Turns out I'm very combustible" Berry Melon revealed.

"...Cool" Sasha said

"There's the town, we'll follow baby Milky to his mission" Walker said.

"I'm not a baby!...hey! You used 'he' instead of she!" Milky cried out.

"You should be more concern with your assignment Milky" Walker said.

"Now the letter said to follow the smell of cookies, our teams elite sniffing unit should lead the way from here" Elfie said.

"...We don't have one" Walker reminded.

"Nonsense! Peach Basket, Misha, you two are up" Elfie said.

"Peach Basket begin smelling right away!" Peach Basket declared.

"Why are you sniffing me all of a sudden search the damn town!" Walker said shoving Peach Basket away from him.

"Meow~" Peach Basket muttered.

Translation: (Is this the end of me, have I really fallen so deeply, and so suddenly? What will the others think? I may have to reincarnate to hide my shame...)

"Misha! Hello are you listening? Go with Peach Basket, and lead us to the smell of cookies" Walker ordered

Misha wordlessly nodded it's head.

Upon entering the town the duo went to work sniffing out for any batch of fresh cookies, eventually turning up a lead.

"*Sniff, sniff*! Chocolate~ Peach Basket found!" Peach Basket called out.

Misha wordlessly pointed in the direction Peach Basket was skipping.

"We found our mark, follow that Shaman!" Berry Melon declared.

Following their bloodhound of a Shaman the team were lead to what appeared to be a house decorated by badly drawn drawings on construction paper taped to the wall. The house itself resembling the standard home for most demons living in town, but the random drawings did make it stand out, and yet it seemed as if no demon cared. The drawings were comprised of bad sketches of what appears to be several demon classes, ripped coloring book pages where the artist colored outside the lines, and doodles of other miscellaneous items such as swords, cake, birds, and even boats.

"How did we not notice this place earlier...it's on the left side of the single road, it's a short distance from the Rosen Queen stores...was it really so in place, despite the out of place drawings?" Elfie wondered.

"Don't ask me I just moved here...well Milky this is where you, Kimberly, and Limbo go off to do your job, good luck, and remember to bring back the HL" Walker said as he motioned the rest of the team to leave them.

"...You knock first Kimberly" Milky said.

"Why on Earth should I do such a peasant task as that?" Kimberly asked.

"I have no arms" Limbo reminded.

"...I can swipe your clothes before you can blink." Milky revealed.

"And I'm sure you can...very well I shall knock on the door, but you, and Limbo shall accompany me...from behind...and out of arms reach. (Oh~, why did Walker partner me up with two of my least favorite demons?)" Kimberly thought to herself.

_End of Chapter_

_I am working on meeting some request, but the story can't just take a sharp left turn to introduce a requested character right away, but I am working on it, and you should see results in later chapters. There is also something else that I wish to do that pertains to them having multiple tasks at once, but at the moment their numbers are too little to make it work as fantastical as I want it to be so it's currently on hold. Thanks for the reviews, support, and your patience!_


	11. Chapter 11

_Chapter 11: Guild Work in Progress 1_

_It's gonna be one of those days..._

_Firefly: What days! What is it! Am I gonna die! Oh no, oh no! Too scary!_

_Relax, I just mean it's one of those chapters in your life that portray actual guild work. We'll be seeing a lot of them in the coming days, just not in a row. Enjoy!_

The cookie scented house

After Kimberly knocked three times, the door was swung open by a gust of wind, the strange part was the wind was coming from the windless inside, rather than the gentle breezing outside.

"Well we best go inside, and finish our assignment-e-excuse me, but what did I say about following me from behind?" Kimberly scolded as Milky suddenly rushed towards Kimberly's back, and clutched her dress tightly.

"I can't help it! I'm part scaredy cat when it comes to the unknown" Milky confessed.

"Good, foreboding entrance, I must learn to master the 'violent self swinging door' technique" Limbo said.

Kimberly went inside as daintily as a princess, and as fearless as a warrior despite the shacking grip of Milky.

"If I suffer a wardrobe malfunction because of you, I shall ensure you suffer a brain malfunction from my arrows" Kimberly warned.

Eventually Milky released her grip, but stood in place nervously looking in all directions.

The house itself was well lit with electric lamps, but the majority of the light coming from a small, plain chandelier with only a half dozen bulbs, and made from a slightly dusty bronze metal with very few decals. The floor was wood with most of the center enveloped in a round, turquoise rug that was very soft to the touch. A fireplace stood at the opposite end of the door, a closer inspection hinted that it may have rarely ever been used seeing as how there was very little soot, the logs were untouched, and felt cold. A Sofa for two stood at the center of it all colored turquoise, and seating only two people with a small round table at both sides. The wallpaper was striped with blue, and green, making the room feel...'minty' if that were possible. To the left they saw a rectangle opening where a door would have been, possibly the kitchen, and to the top left of the room was a spiral staircase fashioned from wood.

"A little under-furnished for my taste" Kimberly comented.

"I guess this isn't so bad..." Milky said calming down a bit.

"Is that a sign?" Limbo asked pointing at it, or at least trying to.

"I take it it is in the direction you are looking at?" Kimberly asked seeing as how Limbo was unable to point at the direction.

"Yes~" Limbo moaned.

The sign was very flat, and stood just behind the staircase. At first glance it appeared to have been constructed out of crystal, but a closer look revealed that it was simply very pure ice reflecting the rays of the sun from a nearby window.

"How did we miss that?" Milky asked.

"It must have been recently made...I take it our client wishes to meet with us upstairs" Kimberly said.

"Let's investigate" Limbo said.

"Can't we just leave, and say we did?" Milky asked.

"Unfortunately there is a problem with that plan of yours dear Milky, and that is the fact that Walker will be expecting us to return with pay." Kimberly said.

"Oh...right..." Milky said realizing her plan had a serious flaw.

With Kimberly leading, Milky, and Limbo ascended up the staircase.

"Is that giggling I hear?" Kimberly noticed.

"Sure enough the trio eventually heard the faint sound of children laughing.

"Sounds like...Berry Melon?" Milky noticed.

"And it's not just one girl's laughter, I hear a second." Limbo said.

"It sounds as if our letter was misleading if only by a small margin, regardless we better complete our assignment." Kimberly said.

Climbing the estimated twenty steps up the team made it up towards the square opening in the ceiling. The second floor was just a room, equal to the size of the living room, with the square hole surrounded by long wooden guard rails save for the side the stairs lead up towards. A door to the left side lead to a possible main bathroom below the kitchen. The room itself was much more stocked compared to the plain living room on the first floor. Several toys, dolls, and stuffed animals littered the floor, a similar round rug with same color as the one on the first floor had covered the hard floor making it comfy to lay down on. A queen sized bed was at the top center of the room, and each of it's side had a single cabinet where socks, and other personal unmentionable where possibly stashed. A large dresser attached with a long oval mirror stood on the opposite side of the bed. The room lit by a large lamp above the pyramid shaped roof.

"Where is our client? Hello, anybody home?" Kimberly called out.

A flush from the toilet was heard, followed by the shuffling of feet, bursts of giggles, and a faucet activating.

"Well it sounds as if our employer knows when to wash their hands" Kimberly commented.

The door's knob turned, the door opened, and out skipping was a Green Mage. She turned towards her guests, and waved excitedly.

"...Hello?" Kimberly said.

Despite the warm, and cheerful greeting there was a unsettling silence, no one dared to speak first, well except...

"Oh for goodness sake both of your unnecessary silence will not make our guild look any better. I will calm your nerves, and converse with our client, *ahem*. Excuse me miss mage, but I can't help, but overhear your faucet still running, it's an honest mistake I'm sure, but wasting water even if it is a demon attribute for being wasteful. It is still quite expensive, and should only be left to those with large financial savings of-" Kimberly was educating.

During her lecture the faucet heard from the bathroom suddenly stopped, and the Green Mage looked towards the bathroom with a happy grin. Then out of the bathroom came a Blue Mage.

"Done?" The Green Mage asked.

"Done!" Both the Blue, and Green Mage exclaimed simultaneously giggling soon afterward.

"Oh, I see then..." Kimberly realized.

Outside with the rest of the Guild

"They're not gonna make it" Aegis said.

"Well isn't that a darn shame...why should I believe you?" Walker said.

"I have lived in this town for several years, enough to now my way around town blindfolded. From what I've heard about that house were not normal, the owners left that building long ago so frankly I was surprised we've even received a letter from that vicinity. Supposedly you could see the silhouette of a demon, but the shape was so plain it was difficult to identify what the shape was exactly. We've just sent our allies into the unknown." Aegis said.

"But a house that smells like cookies can't be all bad" Berry Melon said.

"True, but there are occasions when a Venus Fly Trap would smell suspiciously like nectar to draw insects to it's mouth." Aegis said.

"I don't know about that, Firefly was pretty much the same, she didn't came out of her house until just recently. I bet none of you even knew you had a Magic Knight in town" Walker said.

"Just pointing out the many possibilities" Aegis said.

"I'm just not feeling it though, I can smell a trap a mile away" Walker said.

"Yeah it's the pranks that get him" Sasha added.

"As I was saying, I wasn't feeling anything foreboding about that house at all, in fact it felt minty. Did any of you feel that minty air around it?" Walker asked.

"My breath is always minty...you know because I'm a healer, and all" Elfie admitted.

"Well aren't you Miss Perfect" Sasha said.

"Oh goodness me, going so far as to compliment me, I don't deserve it~" Elfie bashfully replied.

"You're slower than molasses in the winter" Sasha said.

"Heh, I was gonna say she's as slow as a snail traveling through peanut butter, but I liked your saying better" Walker commented.

"That's one for me, and zilch for you" Sasha gloated.

"Slow? I can curse you! Turn you slow! Curse now?" Peach Basket asked.

"No thank you Peach Basket" Elfie respectfully declined.

"Curse? No...no like Peach Basket curses..." Peach Basket said suddenly feeling down in the dumps.

"Aw~ come on don't be like that...you've already been hired!" Walker groaned.

"You shall deliver all the curses in the world to the men behind the curtains" Phoenix assured.

"I believe she told me once that curses on her pack, and curses on her enemies are two opposite sides of the same coin. Though they have the same effect...*sigh* her curses towards her allies derive from a positive emotion such as happiness, and friendship, ugh~. While her enemies suffer from hate embedded, anger fueled hexes." Lloyd said.

"Sad pack-mate is right. Peach Basket want to give-*sniffle*-curses to pack as sign of new pack togetherness..." Peach Basket glumly replied.

"When did you two become so buddy, buddy?" Elfie curiously asked.

"She followed me to my house if you would recall, and took some dolls from my collection to create hex dolls for us" Lloyd recalled.

"Well you both seem to be about the same height so I guess I can see the similarities" Sasha said.

"I don't believe you should judge such close teamwork merely by height" Firefly said.

"Humans judge close relationships with the silliest reasons all the time" Sasha said.

"...We're not humans" Walker replied.

"All the more reason why our reasons should be even stranger" Sasha said.

"...In a weird sort of way, she is completely right" Phoenix said.

"We got way off topic here, we're we discussing Peach Basket here? She's still wiping away tears" Walker reminded.

"Oh right, okay then how about this. At the end of the day during dinner time you can curse us. You can chant us up a couple of curses even with your mouth full of food." Elfie invited.

"Peach Basket can't wait for night time food!" Peach Basket exclaimed suddenly perking up again.

"That's so much better!" Berry Melon cried out happily.

"I don't think you should be happy at the idea of getting cursed" Walker said.

"We are nearing our destination, soon we shall depart" Aegis called out.

"I take it you are following the map correctly?" Walker asked.

"Of course, and our client is only a handful of houses away to our right, a little further ahead will be Phoenix's stop at the senator's building." Aegis said.

"Excellent, I shall move on head to unveil the picket signs I have stashed near the building, I shall met my selected team there" Phoenix said jumping onto the rooftops, and dashing ahead.

"I really need to get myself a pair of shoes" Walker said.

"You already have boots on silly" Berry Melon pointed out.

"I mean to equip so I can move faster, jump higher, and farther, you know the one I mean" Walker said.

"So you'll be wearing shoes...on your boots?" Firefly asked.

"No, I'll be wearing my boots on my shoes" Walker corrected.

"I thought I had multiple layers of armor" Aegis said to himself.

"Then where would your socks go?" Sasha asked.

"...Are we there yet Aegis?" Walker asked.

"On our right actually. Sasha, Misha we're departing" Aegis said.

"Whatever cowpoke, don't slow us down will ya?" Sasha said, turning a hard right.

"Meow~, mew, mew, meow" Misha howled.

Translation: (I can't believe I'm doing this, but I won't lose myself so easily, at the slightest moment of weakness I shall hold dominion over thee, and turn your so called 'guild' into a dark cult)

"I'll miss you two Misha!" Berry Melon exclaimed while giving Misha a quick hug before departing.

"...Still wearing your 'cowards fleece' I see" Sasha suddenly said.

"I see someone's upset that their miniscule bullets are suddenly ineffective" Aegis retorted.

"Just need a bigger gun. Personally I can't find myself relying on some plate of metal when I can just as easily dodge stuff" Sasha said.

"You honestly believe you can avoid all incoming attacks?" Aegis said.

"I have a thin waist" Sasha answered.

"Meow!" Misha replied.

Translation: (The door! One of you knock on it this very instant you insects!)

"Oh look the door, better let me do all the talking" Sasha said.

"Meow, meow!" Misha excitedly proclaimed.

Translation: (At last for once you imbeciles have finally understood me!)

"Calm yourself cat, you will have something to eat later tonight" Aegis said.

Sasha knocked on the door, after a short time of waiting they got a response.

"Who are you, and why should I let you in?" A woman's voice demanded.

"Cautious, but for a good reason, tell her who we are" Aegis said.

"We're your hired muscle partner! Open that door nice, and easy like so we can do our job" Sasha called out.

"...Prove it" the voice said.

"Oh for crying out loud, allow me" Aegis said gripping the letter.

"Oh I see, your gonna slip that letter under the-" Sasha began.

Then Aegis punched through the wooden door with the letter gripping fist.

"As you can see this is your letter, with your penmanship now let us through...I think I felt something in my knuckles besides wood" Aegis said.

There was no response.

"She's not talking to us, way to go you big galoot!" Sasha scolded.

"Thank you, it's not everyday someone calls me lazy considering the work I force myself to do" Aegis said.

"Now what?" Sasha said.

"We can't go back empty handed...I think I can reach inside, and unlock the door" Aegis said.

"Go for it" Sasha said.

He fumbled his hand around the door making an even larger hole.

"My hand is far too thick, and muscular to bend it anywhere near the lock" Aegis declared.

"Figures...time for plan B, Misha go unlock the door from the inside" Sasha ordered.

"Can a Catsaber even accomplish such a task?" Aegis asked.

"*Hiss!*" Misha replied angrily before jumping through the hole.

Translation: (Your death shall be slow, and painful large one)

"You don't suppose that door is coming out of our pay will it?" Aegis asked.

"I can just sell it for more than it's worth, give me time, and a sucker, and I can double our pay" Sasha assured.

A loud click was heard from the door, and Misha jumped out of the hole.

"Excellent now to business" Aegis said opening the door

Peering inside the small living room they saw an open window providing much of the light for the interior though a electric lamp at the center of the room would provide for light during the night. They also saw a rectangle table with a light blue table top cover, the floor was wood neither clean, nor entirely dirty, a door leading to the bedroom, and a path to the right side leading to the possible kitchen. A lone couch behind the left side window was colored a pale brown. Then there was the unconscious body of a Lady Fighter near the front of the door.

"Good going dumb muscle you knocked the poor girl out" Sasha scolded.

"A female fighter has plenty of defensive capabilities, and have been known to take a beating, I'm surprised a single punch could bring her into unconsciousness." Aegis said.

"Defense? Look at her! She's so poor all she has to wear are two belts, and very tight biker shorts that make it seem as if she's wearing nothing at all...nothing at all" Sasha said.

"Not entirely true, she does have some very impressive leg wear" Aegis said.

"But you punched her face not her legs" Sasha said.

"How did that old saying go again?...You have to break a few eggs to make an omelet?" Aegis said.

"Not if our omelet is paying us...those shorts are really tight, if they are shorts...they kind of look like they're just black paint with some after polish to give it that sleek shine, genius" Sasha said.

"Well why don't you ask her once she regains consciousness" Aegis said.

"Meow, meow, meow!" Misha cried out.

Translation: (I'm surrounded by buffoons, I can feel my high intellect depleting with each moment I spend with them, is this a test dark one? Have I not proven myself worthy in your eyes!)

Back to Walker

"I trust Aegis will be able to keep Sasha in line, and Misha shouldn't be much of a hassle to either of them" Walker said.

"Can you feel it? We're getting close. The air is heavy with corruption from the greedy corporations buying out the senators" Phoenix was heard saying as he returned to the group carrying several signs.

"Every demon does that all the time, although I always thought of bribing as sort of ironic. You know even if it's for our own selfish cause we are still gifting demons just so we can have what we want in exchange. Call it an ugly word, but giving is still giving" Elfie said.

"You're thinking too deeply about this, all you need to concern yourself now is doing a good job" Walker said.

"I hardly think at all~" Berry Melon said.

"And to think you were once considered a genius in our hometown" Walker muttered to himself.

"Few demons truly understand the significance change one goes inside, and out when you're reincarnating into something completely different, but there is always a little part of you that sticks, it's just overshadowed by your new persona" Elfie explained.

"Lesson learned! Peach Basket knows!" Peach Basket said.

"That lecture was pointless, as were most of your lectures during your times here" Walker said.

"I just wanted to show off my new found intelligence, I was such a bimbo when I was a Lilim" Elfie said.

"M-maybe I can do something like that t-to regain my confidence" Firefly muttered.

"I'm too far gone for any reincarnation to effect me" Lloyd said

"I believe it is time for us to depart, I shall return your team at nightfall when there is seldom any demons worthwhile to see us protest." Phoenix said.

"I hardly doubt four people will be anything less than pathetic" Walker said.

"True, but once they see our determination, and hear our chanting of the truth they will join us. Then you shall see the true power in numbers." Phoenix said.

"We shall see you make a laughing stock out of yourself, and if you do I'm charging you extra" Walker said.

"We haven't actually discussed how much I'll be paying you" Phoenix said.

"Just drop some HL in a sack, and I'll tell you when to stop" Walker said.

"Fair enough" Phoenix said.

"S-s-so we're not gonna fight, or anything right?" Firefly asked.

"Normally these occupy movements on the human world would involve zero violence...we shall not mimic that. We will fight-on sight-any demon attempting to stop us" Phoenix said.

"Peach Basket loves good fight, but no spear! No poking stick!" Peach Basket

"I think I actually have something here...let me just pull this sign out." Phoenix said dropping the picket signs, and focusing on a single picket sign reading 'Wake the hell up, seriously why won't you guys listen to reason for crying out loud you are being deceived, and your HL stolen from you when your le-' in small letters barely legible. He pulled the sign out of the stick which turns out to have a pointy, but chipped blade at the top.

"I'm not too handy with spears, but you seem capable, take this Beginner's Spear" Phoenix said.

"Me like~" Peach Basket moaned with greedy desire as she snatched the spear.

"Alright well take my teammates, and...pay me right now actually" Walker said.

Phoenix paused for a brief moment, then shifted towards his inventory, and grabbed a sack full of HL, and placed on Walker's palm. He felt the weight, tossing it up, and down, then nodded to himself.

"Didn't think you'd get my desired pay the first time, pleasure doing business with you. Firefly, Peach Basket, Lloyd, don't screw up" Walker ordered.

"My life is pain, darkness all around me" Lloyd said.

"...Okay?" Walker said.

"Curses...stabbing...*drool*" Peach Basket moaned.

"Uh, right...Firefly, watch over them, be their temporary leader, or something" Walker practically pleaded.

"T-that's too much pressure! I-I can't carry such a b-burden!" Firefly said.

"You'll never know unless you try, see ya" Walker said walking away from the team.

"He's right, that's one of many reasons why I do the things I do. Today we shall show them the power of our demon numbers! Now everyone grab a sign, and stand at the center of the street" Phoenix said.

"Or burn out like a dying star" Lloyd said.

"Good, good, but I want you to focus your depression on the system, they didn't care about you, and this is what you've become. Demonstrate your sadness, and express it through loud words" Phoenix encouraged.

"Either way they sadden me by either ignoring me, or not helping me...I'll do so" Lloyd said.

"Peach Basket will go over there! Curse at random demons! One could be target!" Peach Basket said.

"Maybe...now come on we should start grabbing a sign, and start waving it around" Phoenix said.

The building they were protesting at was the size of several of the houses, and the only one with a visible third story. Large, defiant, and important looking with a slick black paint job over the brick, and dark red roof over it's head. How Walker had not noticed such a building as he passed it several times is beyond anyone's guess, but once you see it, you could not un-see it. Standing over it so close the team was already feeling the auras of several powerful demons...in town, but Phoenix seemed quite unimpressed despite the fact that at his current level he will stand no chance against the majority of the council. The party went to work, Lloyd was spewing random acts of pain he has endured, and blamed it all on the system, Firefly was avoiding as many eyes on her as possible while still waving her sign frantically due to embarrassment which only drew more attention from naughty minded demons. Peach Basket was jumping about every shouting random hexes which sounded like complete gibberish which in any other moment would have sounded utterly terrifying, and Phoenix extended several signs urging others to follow in their example. For a while no demon were interested until a Onmyo Trainee who's face was covered by a large book of Feng Shui accidentally bumped into Phoenix.

"Ah I see an intelligent demon who wishes to join our movement" Phoenix said.

"Eh?" The Onmyo Trainee muttered, too distracted to pay any full attention to Phoenix.

"Excellent, take this sign, and wave it about in this particular spot." Phoenix said.

"...Meh" the Onmyo Trainee muttered as he grabbed the sign with his left hand, and continued reading with his right.

"You see! We already have one person joining us, soon this whole town will be moved by our occupy movement!" Phoenix assured.

The Onmyo Trainee muttered something too softly to be heard, and continued waving the sign around while primarily focusing on his reading.

Returning to Walker

"*Sigh* the people who hire us huh?" Walker muttered

"I think they're very colorful" Berry Melon said.

"Wouldn't it be hilarious if we're the only ones who screwed up our jobs?" Elfie said.

"If by hilarious you mean utterly shameful then yes, It's gonna be a riot" Walker said.

"We won't let you down, we're your very first recruits, your top of the litter!" Berry Melon exclaimed.

"Being the first to join doesn't necessarily mean your the best" Walker reminded.

"Couldn't you pretend that was the case, for your sake" Elfie asked.

"I'm not saying you guys are complete failures, in fact I think you two are really...satisfactory" Walker awkwardly said.

"He approves of us" Berry Melon whispered.

"He likes us~, what a softie" Elfie whispered back.

"My hearing ain't what it used to be thanks to all those loud guns firing directly besides my ear during training, but I can still understand the gist of what you two are whispering about. Do I have to dock your pay?" Walker threatened

"No~" both Elfie, and Milky groaned

"Looks like we're nearing the fountain, anyone out there that stands out?" Walker asked.

"Besides several demons, and monsters?" Berry Melon asked.

"Well there's that oddly dressed fellow chatting to a set of Lady Fighters, and now getting slapped by one of them." Elfie said.

"I've never seen his kind around these parts before, could he be a rare spawn? A demon that's not in a genre of class, but an actual original demon!...I though those were just legends" Walker said.

"Hm~ he is rather strange dressed, nothing in my studies of this Netherworld fit his class description, maybe he is a original demon, this is so exciting, I always wanted to see a OD's special skill!" Elfie excitedly said.

"...I remember! He's a Ranger! A male archer like Kimberly except he's a boy! I saw a few of them at Maritsu Evil Academy" Berry Melon pointed out.

"So that's why there were no records of his class in this Netherworld, his kind live in another Netherworld. He must have travel through the public dimensional gate" Elfie said.

"I knew those stories about original demons were nothing more than fairy tales, I bet all those reports about our president being a OD must be some kind of gimmick too." Walker muttered sounding disappointed.

"I'm sure they are out there Walker after all, they are not called rare spawns for nothing" Elfie said.

"Yeah right, don't believe in every hogwash you listen to will you? Anyways enough about that, let's greet this guy. If anything he's most likely our client" Walker said.

"Yoo-hoo~! Client, we're here!" Berry Melon cried out.

"Not like that!" Walker exclaimed.

The Ranger looked over at the sudden call, realized it was female, and rushed over to their direction.

"Huh...I guess he really was our guy" Walker said.

The Ranger paused in front of them, looked away, and slicked his recently messy hair back to normal before confronting them...or at least one of them.

"Hey there good looking, I may not be a genie, but I can make your dreams come true" The Ranger introduced.

"Well that's very nifty" Elfie said not getting it.

"Excuse me?" Walker sternly said clearly getting it.

The Ranger ignored him.

"So how's about we make a bet? I bet you dinner you'll go to dinner with me tonight" The Ranger said

"I'm a little busy at the moment, with my master, and all" Elfie awkwardly said moving closer to Walker.

"Don't call me master" Walker said moving away from Elfie.

The Ranger spotting another cutie decided to change tactics.

"Hey there beautiful, why is it that all of a sudden the most prettiest girl in this town has suddenly showed up?" The Ranger said.

"Oh my~ that's nice, but I'm a little-" Berry Melon was saying

"So how about we spent some time together, and make like fabric softener, and snuggle?" The Ranger invited.

"Well..." Berry Melon said.

Suddenly a bright spark engulfed the Ranger's hair. He immediately began screaming, and shrieking, eventually jumping onto the fountain to douse the fire all the while Berry Melon was giggling at the whole fiasco.

"...I'll treat his third degree burns" Elfie reluctantly said.

"I'm reluctant to let you do so, but he is our client...I think" Walker said.

Kimberly's Team

"So there's two of you...you could have made that specific in your letter" Kimberly said.

"We're so close we're-" the Green Mage began.

"Like one person sometimes" the Blue Mage finished.

"So when you were writing that letter you were both..." Limbo said.

"Writing it together? Yes!" Both blue, and green mages said simultaneously.

"Well why don't you introduce yourselves, you could have also done that in the letter by the way" Kimberly said.

"My name's Noelle!" The Green Mage excitedly cheered.

"My name's Isabelle!" The Blue Mage excitedly cheered.

"Well fancy that, you may call me Kimberly, or milady will suffice as well. The little one attempting to crawl through the window is Milky, and our spirit monster is Limbo" Kimberly said.

"Play, play, play!" Noelle, and Isabelle happily chanted.

"Alright, alright what recreational activity do you wish to perform?" Kimberly asked.

"Wha~" Noelle, and Isabelle moaned in confusion.

"...What do you want to play?" Limbo asked.

"O~h" Noelle, and Isabelle moaned in a sudden realization.

"...They make better ghosts than me" Limbo said.

"Milky get off that window you'll ruin your hair...well your hat at least, come on you're gonna recreate with us whether you like it, or not"Kimberly assured pulling Milky off the window just as she managed to break the rusty lock off.

"We wanna play-" Noelle began.

"Doctor!" Isabelle finished.

"Well let's set the stage then" Kimberly said.

"Yay~!"

They cleared the excess toys, wrapped Milky in random parts of her bodies, Kimberly primarily focused on ensuring Milky will not escape even though she no longer felt any fear over their assignment. Limbo was given a role which involved him waiting just below the floorboards of the second floor, Kimberly, and Noelle wore nurse caps.

"Has the patient been prepped nurse?" Kimberly began.

"Aye! We did the best we could, but she's lost a lot of blood, and her heart beat is increasing at fast levels!" Noelle exclaimed.

"Beep...beep...beep" Isabelle...beeped?

"Why am I the one wrapped up like this?" Milky asked.

"Don't talk save your strength!" Noelle urged.

"Quickly we must apply the anesthesia, and then we're going under!" Kimberly declared.

"Y-you're not actually gonna cut me open are you!" Milky cried out.

"Beep, beep, beep" Isabelle beeped more rapidly.

"Don't you dare die on us!" Noelle shouted passionately.

"Oh no she started bleeding again! More bandages hurry!" Kimberly urged.

"Don't kill me off so quickly!" Milky said.

"Beep, beep, beep" Isabelle continued.

"It's worse than we thought, she has a fatal illness along with her fatal car injuries!" Kimberly declared.

"Don't tell me we're fighting a losing battle doctor!" Noelle exclaimed.

"Are you two even trying?" Milky asked.

"Bee~p" Isabelle bee~p.

"No~!" Noelle shouted letting herself fall onto Milky's chest in utter defeat.

"I'm so sorry nurse...we did the best we could..." Kimberly glumly said.

Suddenly Limbo floated upwards from the floor.

"I'm a ghost now? Oh no~" Limbo moaned.

"No~ my sweet patient! We we're gonna get married, and spend our golden years in Paris! You can't just leave me behind like this!" Noelle cried out.

"Why would you say that dear! We we're suppose to get married tomorrow!" Isabelle exclaimed with a gruff voice while wearing a random mustache.

"I never loved you! My hand was forced to wed with you by your wicked step-mother!" Noelle cried out while pointing at Kimberly.

"Yes, if she were to be your wife we would have had lived a life of luxury!" Kimberly said, not really sure of what to do since the twins had not mentioned any of this. She decided to improvise.

"My family heirlooms will never be yours!" Noelle defiantly proclaimed.

"You don't have a say in that any more, for you see before the accident I had forged your handwriting into your wedding papers! You are now legally bonded by my step-son, and therefore your mansion, and money are also mine as well!" Kimberly gloated.

"How could you!" Noelle gasped, tears beginning to show.

"I never wanted any of this, I just wanted you, please stay with me, I can make you happy!" Isabelle assured.

"Not so fast!" Limbo said floating through the bathroom door.

"This is a private room, I suggest you leave!" Kimberly ordered.

"I am the head of the police department, and during our investigations at the scene of the crime we discovered enough evidence to show that her death was no accident, it was on purpose...she had been murdered!" Limbo declared.

"Who! Who would do such an awful thing!" Noelle cried out.

"Our investigation has lead us to one of you in this very room to be the culprit!" Limbo declared.

Everyone gasped even Limbo for some reason

"I-I didn't do it! I swear, she was like my baby sister! I could never have hurt her, even if I was jealous of her relationship with my love" Isabelle exclaimed.

We know it was not you, the real culprit was-" Limbo began.

All of a sudden Milky began to groan weakly.

"Ah! Beloved you're alive thank evilness!" Noelle said.

Milky responded with another groan as she began to pick herself up.

"It's okay you don't have to say, or do anything just lie down, and rest" Noelle assured.

Milky ignored her, and soon embraced her all the while still groaning weakly.

"I'm so happy too" Noelle said hugging her back.

Suddenly Milky gave Noelle a gentle nibble on her neck.

"Ow! Darling what was that?" Noelle asked.

"Wait a minute...those eyes, the speech impediment, and her lust to feed...oh no!" Isabelle said.

"What's wrong?" Limbo asked.

"Mother, didn't you say she had an illness with her injuries?" Isabelle asked.

"Y-yes, but we couldn't identify it. We needed an autopsy.

"It can't be!" Limbo said.

"It is! Darling get away from her, or else-" Isabelle exclaimed.

Noelle responded to this with a groan similar to Milky's.

"Oh no! Not you, not you too!" Isabelle realized.

"What is the meaning of this?" Kimberly wanted to know.

"It's the illness, it's not a disease, it's a virus, but not just any virus." Limbo said.

Milky, and Noelle both moaned.

"It's a zombie virus!" Isabelle cried out.

"Oh no~!" Limbo, and Kimberly exclaimed.

"Aw~ it looks like we ended up with the zombie apocalypse ending" Isabelle said now done acting apparently.

"You mean there were more endings?" Kimberly asked.

"I had no idea" Limbo said.

"Well we did our best what could we do?" Noelle said.

"Well is that all you wished us to do? It was awfully short" Kimberly said.

"We have another game-" Noelle began

"We want to play" Isabelle finished.

"C-can anyone untie me?" Milky asked.

"Very well what is it?" Kimberly asked.

"We want to play house!" Noelle, and Isabelle exclaimed simultaneously.

"Who's going as what?" Limbo asked.

"I'm still tied up here!" Milky said.

"We know that" Kimberly said.

"So untie me" Milky said.

Very well" Kimberly reluctantly agreed to.

"Honey I'm ho-what is going on! Who is this woman?" Noelle started things off.

"I-It's not what it looks like?" Kimberly awkwardly said.

"I sure hope so, that's our innocent little daughter" Noelle said.

"She was just playing with toilet paper...again" Kimberly said.

"I'm not a little kid!" Milky complained.

"Uh...bark, bark?" Limbo said

"You said it!" Isabelle said.

"Thank you talking lamp!" Noelle said.

"No problem! Need me to make the room a little brighter?" Isabelle said.

"No thank you, but we'd love to have you join our conversation." Noelle said.

"Thanks you're the best" Isabelle said.

"No problem!" Noelle said.

"So...how was your day?" Kimberly asked.

"Awesome!" Noelle replied.

"...Can you be a little more specific?" Kimberly said.

"Radical?" Noelle answered.

"...Works for me" Milky said as she stood up

"Perfect sense" Isabelle said.

"Bark, bark? (why did I decide this should be my role?)" Limbo asked himself.

"Well then I sure nothing bad happens that will completely-oh no! Zombies!" Noelle called out.

"Oh no~-wait, what? Zombie apocalypse again?" Kimberly said.

"Oh darn did I end it like that, sorry" Noelle said.

"So there were other endings again?" Milky asked.

"How would I know I'm a talking lamp" Isabelle replied.

"Well at least we're getting payed for going through zombie related scenarios" Kimberly said.

"I'm so glad none of us are zombies otherwise I'd be rather offended by now" Limbo said.

"But it's worth it in the end-" Noelle began.

"because the cookies we're paying you with will be very tasty" Isabelle finished.

"Cookies? Is that slang for HL these days" Kimberly asked.

"No, they're chocolatey-" Noelle began.

"And delicious!" Isabelle finished.

"Oh dear, Walker will not like this one bit..." Kimberly realized.

Aegis' Team

"Hey I think she's coming to!" Sasha said.

Lady Fighter groaned weakly rubbing her head slightly, and looked at the ceiling, or at least a portion seeing as how three heads were blocking her view.

"Are you okay?" Aegis asked.

"Ugh~ what happened?" the Lady Fighter moaned.

"You were knocked out cold" Sasha answered.

"What happened to my door!" The Lady Fighter demanded to know.

"Let me handle this, whatever happened to that door also caused you to get knocked out cold" Sasha explained.

"It must have been those damn monsters again, they must have chucked a rock at it, or something" the Lady Fighter said.

"Actually it looked more like a large boulder..." Aegis muttered.

"Meow, meow!" Misha said.

Translation: (You give yourself too much credit, my paw is the huge boulder in this group)

"Well they've pushed me around for the last time, come on, let's go after them!" the Lady Fighter exclaimed.

"Hang on, don't jump into the fryer just yet, let's get our introductions out of the way" Sasha said.

"Oh yeah! My name's Evelyn" The now named Lady Fighter said.

"I am Aegis, my comrades here are Sasha our gunslinger, and Misha our Catsaber" Aegis said.

"Great now let's stop those jerks before they strike again" Evelyn said rushing outside.

"One track mind?" Aegis said.

"I doubt it, she's just been through a lot" Sasha said as they followed Evelyn outside.

"Darn, I don't see them anywhere..." Evelyn said.

"It would help if we knew who we were suppose to be looking at" Sasha reminded.

"Well I recognized one of them as being a Zombie Monster Class, didn't look very bright though. The other two...I have no clue" Evelyn said.

"Elaborate" Aegis said.

"One of them looked like a puppet without anyone pulling on it's strings I could even hear it breathe, it takes deep creepy breaths...you know those wooden puppets you manipulate" Evelyn began to described

"I think I understand, keep going" Aegis said.

"The third one looked like he was calling the shots looks like someone put a pumpkin head on a scarecrow, and it always smoking a cigaret" Evelyn described.

"Those do sound odd, perhaps they are not from around here?" Aegis said.

"I know one of them types, the puppet one, it's a Marionette Monster Class, only found at the school, I remember cause Eli-I mean Berry Melon wrote about them a while back." Sasha said.

"What about the other one?" Aegis asked.

"I'm drawing a blank here..." Sasha said.

"Well they recently started targeting me for their stupid criminal acts. Of course I'm not the only one they strike, but I do seem to be the most common foe. Normally I would fight back, but a one on three fight is hard to win" Evelyn explained.

"Well now we'll have the upper hand, a three on four fight should be fairly easy." Aegis said.

"I like them odds" Sasha said.

"*Hiss*!" Misha said

Translation: (I shall make it rain in their blood)

"Do you know where their hangout can be found?" Sasha asked.

"No clue, but they've been bugging me nonstop, daily. They'll come to us if we walk around." Evelyn said.

"Well in that case let's just walk around aimlessly" Sasha said.

"Fair enough, I've done plenty of aimless walking to be use to it by now during missions" Aegis said.

"Meow, meow, meow!" Misha cried out.

Translation: (Fools, I can track a Zombie from anywhere in this feeble town, I can hunt them down with ease)

"You don't come across to many Catsabers around here" Evelyn said.

"Not one of a kind, but yea I don't regularly see any of your kind around here" Sasha said.

"You have no right to talk, you just got here" Aegis said.

"Meow!" Misha said.

Translation: (We remain hidden in the shadows awaiting a foolish travel to cross our trap...or sleeping on our warm baskets in some demon's home)

They eventually ended up at a large bulletin board at the center of the wide street, placed there purposely to disrupt vehicles, or anything with wheels on it.

"This is where I first saw the ad, I didn't care too much about it until I saw you guys in action" Evelyn said.

"Yeah we did kick some mighty ass" Sasha said.

"You were not involved in the slightest." Aegis reminded.

Unbeknownst to them Misha was staring at a very old missing demon poster. The poster was the exact same one Walker glanced at the first time he planted his ad poster. The missing demon poster still had the same picture of a Catsaber, though it was barely illegible, torn in many areas, and yellow from weather, and aging. Something inside Misha forced him to remember days of old, days he did not remember ever having. Playing with a Mage, and Skull, adventuring in the woods, a sudden landslide, the feeling of being separated, calling for help, then came the loneliness. Before he could remember any more he was suddenly picked up, and turned around facing five monsters all lined up horizontally.

"You were daydreaming there cat, we found our target" Aegis said

"Yeah that's them alright, but it looks like they've brought help of their own" Evelyn said.

"Would you look at that? Our favorite punching bag brought some extra dead weight so we won't have to wait to get our turn"Jackinson the Pumpkin Class Monster said.

"Why do I feel like his head is delicious, and nutritious?" Aegis wondered.

"I thought I was the only one" Sasha said.

"Meow!"

Translation: (I always envisioned eating the heads of my enemies, yet I feel with that beast, it would be completely justified)

"Duh~ boss man we gonna fight? Hyuk, hyuk, hyuk!" Howlwitzer the Zombie Class Monster stupidly chuckled.

"...Must be their top genius" Aegis sarcastically remarked.

"Such an educated gentle-demon" Sasha added

"*Huff* I haven't seen her around...*huff* I wonder how soft her skin is~" Patches groaned.

"Oh man~, kill it! Kill it with fire!" Sasha exclaimed realizing it was staring at her.

"...Unfortunately we don't have Berry Melon to do so" Aegis said.

"Well I'm glad it stopped focusing on me" Evelyn muttered.

"I'm guessing you three are her hired goons, not a very impressive bunch are you?" Frederic the Mothman Class Monster said.

"Big talk from such a defenseless bug with wings, you shall die at the hands of our Disgaea Guild!" Aegis threatened.

"Did my idiot Gunner actually named it such a stupid name? Must have been plastered..." Sasha said.

"Enough talk, as Orc Captain I order you all to fight! Or will you hand over your HL, and run away scared like you've always done" The Orc Captain Monster class named Orc Captain said.

"I'm gonna end you here, and now!" Evelyn assured.

"Even though I've never met you, I'm somehow really pissed off for some reason...I'm gonna enjoy thrashing you." Jackinson muttered.

"Battle Start!" Everyone shouted.

"Fi~ght!" A Wood Golem was heard shouting.

Phoenix's Team

"So you see, even though they have not been sighted in the Netherworld, it does not mean that the Illuminati does not exist here as well" Phoenix continued.

"Uh-huh" the Onmyo Trainee muttered while still reading his book

"By the way, what is your name new Freedom Fighter?" Phoenix said.

"...Lance..." the Onmyo Trainee muttered.

"Excellent, keep holding the sign like that, Peach Basket excellent curses, we're sure to land our mark eventually, Firefly keep drawing the crowd!" Phoenix said.

"I-I'm trying not to!" Firefly cried out.

"When you've obtain all the riches of the world what happens? You will die, and those riches will go to someone else, it all goes back like a demon's toy going back in the box. So you gotta ask yourself when you obtained the highest promotion, reached the ultimate level, gather every HL in existence, reached the top of the pyramid! Then what? What will you do once that feeling goes away? And it will go away...what will you do? How will you live knowing nothing more could be gain, no higher level can be achieved, nothing to save up for? It'll be an empty life you could never escape from..." Lloyd explained to the growing crowd

"Excellent speech, keep them coming!" Phoenix encouraged.

"Meh..." Lance muttered.

"Hang on there's plenty of signs for everyone, of course you could always make your own!" Phoenix said.

It was as if he released the flood gates once he said they could make their own. Several demons gathered through several blank signs, and written random demands. A Fighter wrote on his sign for tax cuts on weights, one Mage demanded more sugar to be injected in all food products, a Orc drew a picture of a walrus, and wanted every demon's opinion on it. Soon dozens of demons had signs which drew attention away to the movement Phoenix has started, but he didn't see it as that.

"I think so long as it looks like a lot of demons are protesting I still think it's a success" Phoenix said.

"Meh..." Lance mumbled.

"Taco Tuesday! Who's with me!" A Female Healer was heard shouting.

"Monkey Tires on all trees!" A Green Slime exclaimed.

"Free dog biscuits for every weapon-arf!" A Cu Sith barked.

"This isn't exactly how I expected it to be" Phoenix said.

"Success, or fail!" Peach Basket demanded to know.

"I'd say I brought attention to their deeds, once they don't meet our demands, as stupid as they are, they'll know how corrupted they will be, and rebel against them! I must say this is the first time such a huge crowd has ever joined me. I think you'll deserve a little extra for this!" Phoenix said.

"*Hm~*" Lance hummed to himself

"Your work is almost done, but I will remain here with the rest!" Phoenix shouted over the ludicrous demands from demons.

"More saloons!" A random Gunner shouted.

"I'm being loud, and no one can stop me-gii!" Shouted a passing Eryngi.

"Give me more HL for no reason!" A Zombie shouted.

"Yes, rise up! We can do it!" Phoenix shouted.

"P-please pay attention to the senator's building" Firefly pointed out.

"So many demons! So many curses!" Peach Basket shouted excitedly.

"So many demons. So many of them don't care about my troubles...*sigh*" Lloyd muttered.

"Peach Basket cares! Needs to document troubles to create curses for things that don't trouble!" Peach Basket assured.

"...I suppose that's the best I should hope for in my life..." Lloyd muttered to himself.

Walker's Team

"You cooled off yet?" Walker asked.

"...Yes..." the Ranger muttered.

"Speak up, I can barely hear you" Walker ordered.

"Don't like talking to men all that much..." Ranger muttered.

"But you'll listen to them?" Walker kept asking.

The Ranger nodded.

"So according to your letter you needed help recruiting for your own personal army, is that right?" Walker asked.

"In a way yes..." the Ranger muttered.

"*Sigh* Elfie talk to this guy otherwise we won't get much out of him" Walker asked.

"Only because you told me to...so why did you ask us for advice?" Elfie asked.

"Because of what I saw yesterday!" The Ranger declared loudly, all the while attempting to get close to Elfie.

"Name first, and then tell us your story" Elfie said bringing out a arrow, and threatened to poke him with it.

"I am called Schrodinger" the Ranger declared.

"Weird..." Walker muttered.

"I get it!" Berry Melon called out.

"R-really? Want to talk about it somewhere more private?" Ranger hinted.

"He's called like that because he's alive, but everyone wants him dead!" Berry Melon happily declared.

"I can see where you're going with it, but I don't think you grasp the complete explanation of that name" Elfie said.

"I'm sure his parents got drunk, and and picked a name out of a hat too" Walker said.

"...Actually...they got drunk, and shot an arrow at a wall of random names" Schrodinger muttered.

"Everyone is different Walker" Elfie said.

"So I've discovered." Walker said

"As for your second part beautiful, the reason I called you guys was because of him!" Schrodinger declared pointing at Walker.

"I thought your main focus was girls?" Walker asked.

While still looking at Elfie, "I moved here from Maritsu Evil Academy to discover new types of women! Yet I've seen all of the same! What a disappointment I know, but I figured I'd at least have more luck here." Schrodinger explained.

"I see it hasn't been working" Walker mocked.

"I thought for sure these women were into...well each other, but then I saw you! You were obviously the leader of a group consisting of mostly girls! I obviously need to know his secret! What pick up lines has he been using to get all of you to follow him!" Schrodinger wanted to know.

"...I don't remember, Walker what pick up line did you use to enchant me?" Elfie asked.

"I used no such thing! You came to me looking for a job!" Walker exclaimed.

"Oh yeah...well there's your story we don't take credit, cash only" Elfie said.

"That doesn't help my predicaement! Until I've recruited at least on female to join me, I won't pay a single HL" Schrodinger said.

"This is gonna be our most difficult task yet" Walker realized.

"So let's practice some of your pick up lines on these demon babes!" Schrodinger said.

"Let's skip that part, and try something that doesn't fail all the time" Walker said.

"Agreed!" Elfie, and Berry Melon.

_End of Chapter_

_Special Sasha deal!_

"Hey there demons, and delinquents have you ever had this problem? You got yourself a door with a peep hole, but you realize it's just too small to make out anything!" Sasha began.

"This hole is smaller than a rifle scope" Walker said with no motivation.

"Or maybe your peephole suddenly got filthy, but it's so tiny it's impossible to clean even with the thinnest cotton swab?" Sasha continued.

"Why can't I clean this peep hole? Why can't I do anything right!" Lloyd realized, crying softly to himself soon afterward.

"Well you can kiss those problems goodbye wi~th this!" Sasha excitedly shouted as she pulled on a nearby lever.

Lights behind her suddenly flickered on revealing a door with a very fist-sized hole at it's center.

"Gosh golly what is that!" Berry Melon was heard shouting with excitement.

"I'm glad you asked! It's the newest, latest, most trending door to ever come out of this millenium! The 'larger peep hole door'!" Sasha declared.

"Oo~h, A~h" Limbo, Elfie, Peach Basket, and Blank were heard from the background following with a 'dood' soon after.

"With this you won't have to shove your eye into a filthy pencil wide hole, and the round curves on the rims makes it easy to clean entirely!" Sasha explained.

"But something this amazing, and new must cost at least ten fortunes!" Kimberly cried out much too over-dramatically.

"You would think that, but if you call in the next ten minutes we'll drop the price from five thousand HL, to a measly two thousand five hundred!" Sasha exclaimed.

"But that's fifty percent off! How is this economically possible?" Aegis said having trouble reading from his script.

"Another excellent question, and the answer is-" Sasha began

"H-hey that's my door! You can't sell it yet, I still need it!" Evelyn was heard shouting.

"U-uh so remember call us as quickly as you can! And come back next week when I sell the greatest thing to be invented since slice bread!" Sasha excitedly shouted soon after she was immediately tackled by Evelyn

"Is it over, can I leave now?" Walker asked walking away anyways.

_End of Chapter entirely_

_So much research on this one, primarily having to visit several bars to listen in on future pick up lines...which I could have done by searching...the...internet...why didn't I just do that from the beginning! Stupid, stupid, stupid...well anyways thanks for the reviews, support, and most importantly your patience!_


	12. Chapter 12

_Chapter 12: Hard Day's Work_

_So who do you believe will make a fitting new member to our cause?_

_Aegis: I am in the middle of combat I have no time to answer you!_

_You heard it here folks, now you know who will be joining us...I'm sure he told you, I don't really pay attention when he talks_

Kimberly, Limbo, and Milky

Seeing the plight of having cookies as pay for their contribution to the deal, Kimberly lead her team outside, the twins not realizing the predicament followed them.

Field trip, field trip! We're going on a field trip~" Noelle, and Isabelle sang

"Fiddlesticks, fiddlesticks, fiddlesticks! This is not how I pictured my first lone assignment as leader" Kimberly ranted.

"Well it's not all bad, these cookies do taste good" Milky said.

"Yeah, say that in front of a spirit who can't eat, that's nice" Limbo muttered.

"While that is true, our real conundrum will be how we'll explain to Walker that we are eating his pay, when he expects us to bring him cold cash, not warm snacks" Kimberly said.

"It doesn't help that we're eating it too, I'm sure Walker would like at least a handful" Milky said.

"Way to add to the fact that not only can I not eat, but I don't have any hands...I'm starting to think you're doing this on purpose" Limbo said.

"Milky don't hog the pastries, as I wish to save some for my afternoon tea, which is scheduled to be soon, so let us find Walker quickly before that time passes. Otherwise I won't be held responsible for who I will shoot on sight..." Kimberly warned.

"Wow~ the sky is-" Isabelle began

"So blue, but there's no-" Noelle added.

"Green, but don't worry! You're all the green I need!" Isabelle said.

"Thanks! I'm so lucky to have you as my sister!" Noelle complimented.

"Ah~ the lovely feelings of being a only child" Kimberly said.

"Well I don't know they seem pretty happy...*munch*" Milky said while continuing to eat the freshly baked cookies.

"We haven't-" Noelle began

"Been outside for a long-" Isabelle continued

"Time!" Noelle finished.

"Well we're actually here to talk to someone so-" Kimberly began

"You mean we get to play with more of you?" Noelle asked.

"I can't wait!" Isabelle exclaimed.

"Oh I think you could..." Kimberly said.

"We should shove one of these cookies down his throat, they're really good" Milky said.

"If he doesn't choke from them by doing so" Limbo said.

"I'm sure Elfie is a professional at CPR, and the Heimlich maneuver" Kimberly assured.

"Isn't it ironic that as a ghost I am perfectly suited for removing clogged objects inside someone, but lack the hands to do so?" Limbo said.

"We get it dear, you're an armless ghost, now girls when our Gunner leader starts shouting angrily at you cover your ears, and go to your happy place" Kimberly instructed.

"My happy place is with Isabelle!" Noelle said.

"My happy place is with Noelle!" Isabelle said.

"It's almost too sickeningly adorable" Kimberly gagged.

"They must not have had anyone teach them to act like proper demons...it's kind of sad" Milky said

"They must have just become Mages...is this true?" Limbo asked.

"Yup!" Noelle, and Isabelle

"Oh dear that explains everything...it's similar to Berry Melon. Walker did say she just reincarnated" Kimberly said.

"Berry Melon?" Isabelle said.

"Sounds delicious!" Noelle said.

"Maybe we shouldn't have them meet...for our own sanity" Kimberly said.

"I thought it could be fun" Milky said.

"Louder than a banshee" Limbo commented.

Firefly, Lloyd, Peach Basket

The crowd exploded with angry, or stupid demons ranting at the system for problems they could have easily solved if they actually put their own effort into it. Somewhere in the center Phoenix, and his hired guild members were hunched together.

"This may be considered generous if you look at if differently, but if I don't do this I'll feel like I owe you. So here's a little extra...I was saving it for a new cape, but then I figured the old wear, and tear look will fit me better." Phoenix said handing a second sack full of HL.

"I-I don't know what to say, I'm s-so nervous!" Firefly exclaimed.

"Very well then I shall entrust this with Lloyd" Phoenix said handing the HL over to the depressed Blue Skull.

"How sad...I am given something only to pass it down to someone else" Lloyd glumly replied.

"Peach Basket need time! Curse dolls near done!" Peach Basket assured.

"An object that can hurt me more in the long run...how quaint" Lloyd said.

"Y-yeah! That's right! We want more stuff, even if it hurts us!" A random Warrior shouted who was listening in.

"No locks on windows!" A Thief shouted

"More staples!" A Gargoyle shouted

"What in all the Netherworld will we need more staples for?" A Zombie asked out of nowhere.

"Because shut up!" The Gargoyle responded

"Reduce taxes on everything! Not just sardines!" A Slime complained.

"N-no! H-how will I purchase my invisible spices for my pet hamsters if you pay less in my store! Y-you're a reduced tax!" The loud crazy voice of Lawrence the item store clerk cried out.

"Lawrence...what are you doing here?" Lloyd asked recognizing the voice, and walking towards it.

"I-I am not here! I am fault in the space time continuum! Buy from my store!" Lawrence shouted before shoving his way out of the crowd.

"Work here done! Go back! Miss not cursing pack leader!" Peach Basket exclaimed.

"W-well I don't want to risk messing everything up..." Firefly said.

"Yes, go ahead, I have accomplished all I could here. We shall meet again allies!" Phoenix declared.

They pushed, shoved, and cursed their way out of the growing crowd. When they came out they were surprised to see that the sack of HL the earned was not stolen which could only mean that the demons are really frustrated at their current living conditions.

"Looking at our reward...I actually feel a little of my old spirit returning..." Firefly softly said.

"Peach Basket can fix that!" Peach Basket exclaimed.

"All I feel from this sack is weight...a burden..." Lloyd muttered.

The trio left crowding area following the path they figured Walker took. Though they didn't quite remember which way, they figured it's a fifty, fifty chance they couldn't possibly lose.

Aegis, Misha, Sasha

Aegis was one row ahead of the group, with Sasha behind him with her Old Boy gun, and to her left was Misha, her right was Evelyn with a Scout Spear. Six rows ahead of Aegis was Jackinson, smoothly smoking his cigarette, on his left was Patches, and on right was Frederic. Standing on Frederic's left side was Howlwitzer, and standing on Patches right side was Orc Captain.

"Why is it your turn? I'm pretty sure there is some bias here against monsters" Jackinson said.

"Oh? Giving up already?" Aegis mocked.

"No in the slightest, I'll give you the handicap since I'm feeling merciful" Jackinson said.

"I quick glance at all their stats tells me this could a challenge...if we were complete morons." Aegis said.

"So what'll you have us do then?" Sasha asked.

"Honestly it seems like our only trouble will be that stupid scarecrow, but they could all jump at me at once, and I will survive. Sasha tossed me as far as you can towards them, but stay here, the rest of you will follow me at a two square row distance. Misha will keep behind me, and go into defense, Evelyn you shall stand next to Misha, and go into defense as well while I deliver the first strike.

"A plan where I stay out of the way? Sounds cool to me" Sasha said.

"Me~ow!" Tina said

Translation: (You can keep a dam from leaking, but once that sucker starts it's never going to stop)

"That's the spirit, now then Sasha start us off" Aegis said.

Sasha lifted Aegis.

"You big galoot fly like an eagle!" Sasha grunted tossing Aegis four squares forward.

Two squares away he moved a single square forward, and planned an attack at Jacinkson with his spear obviously keeping the one square distance to avoid a counter-attack. Misha, and Evelyn soon followed while Sasha stood behind. Standing two squares behind Aegis as instructed, with Evelyn standing next to Misha they both went into defense.

"I end our turn" Aegis declared

Soon after he delivered a strike knocking a quarter health off Jackinson.

"He thinks he's the only who's a strategist? How delusional...well then here's how it's going to go down..." Jackinson said inhaling his cigarette, and exhaling the smoke with enough force to send it to Aegis.

"Goi~ng down with her~" Patches groaned

"Boss is smart!" Howlwitzer commented

"Right I am, that's why you Mothman will be hitting him first" Jackinson said.

"Hell rip me in half!" Frederic complained.

"Relax, you're in a better position to strike first just that that nifty...whatever the hell you demons call...evilotins?" Jackinson said.

"Evility you mean?" Frederic corrected

"Sure...use that to just dodge it, Howlwitzer my buddy you'll strike next, use that special of yours to poison that lump of heavy metal, and I'm not talking about the good kind I listen to, I mean the annoying heavy kind you carry" Jackinson said.

"Right boss!" Howlwitzer exclaimed with stupid pride.

"Patches, my recently met ally you will have the honors of moving three squares ahead, and go into defense, you fall way to quickly, Orc Captain you shall do the same, and make sure you stand next to him too. I will move behind Patches, go into defense, and call it a day." Jackinson declared.

"No fu~n, I wanted to get clos~e to the hat gir~l" Patches complained, but obliged

"Who died, and made you team leader?" Frederic asked.

"You will if you don't get your non-existent ass to your position" Jackinson threatened.

Howlwitzer not needed to be told twice moved to Aegis's side, and planned for attack. Frederic having more moves was able to fly towards Aegis-not so weak-weak spot, and had attack placed in as well. Patches, and Orc Captain moved their ordered three row move forward with Jackinson following behind, all three went into defense.

"I end our turn!" Jackinson called out.

"Frederic flapped over Aegis, and spread it's vile wing scales on Aegis's head dealing a laughable amount of damage.

"Five gallons of expired milk do your stuff! Zombie Puke!" Howlwitzer cried out.

His attack dealt the damage needed to lose Aegis a quarter of his health, but did not poison. As much as he wanted to strike Howlwitzer with all of his might he knew that a special was a special even if he had never seen that Zombie special in his life in the Netherworld. He instead unleashed his anger out on Frederic by countering his attack, but to no use as it missed. Frederic seeing he was untouchable thanks to his evility decided to counter his counter doing little damage. Aegis not being one to leave it at that decided to counter-attack Frederic's counter-attack, and suceeded in nailing him, driving Frederic's health down to half. After that if was Aegis' turn once again.

"What kind of attack was that! No Zombie in this Netherworld vomits on someone as their special." Aegis complained.

"I brought this Zombie from my Netherworld, is there a problem?" Jackinson asked soon after inhaling, and exhaling his cigarette again.

"Gad I'm over here, away from the smell!" Sasha called out

"Well it seems as if fate has smiled upon you because I still need you to keep your distance, but enough of a distance that will make it possible for you to hit the Mothman with your gun special.

"You know if you let me attack second, or so, I can swipe a little more HL off the poor saps" Sasha said.

"Your evility does not lie, very well then...Evelyn you shall strike the Mothman from a distance with you spear to ensure a hit. I shall move in front of their leader, and strike him face to face, and I dare you to counter me!" Aegis said.

"I'm defending so I can't really oblige" Jackinson said with a smirk as he continued to relax himself with his infinitely long lasting cigarette.

"In that case you won't mind if I perform my weapon skill then? Misha you shall perform your monster skill after me. Does everyone understand their orders?" Aegis asked.

"As clear as Walker's sarsaparilla bottle once he's done drinking it" Sasha assured.

"Who is this Walker, and what is sarsaparilla? Well anyways yeah I understand, and ready to move" Evelyn assured.

"Meow!" Misha replied

Translation: (It's a shame they won't live long enough to spread my legacy)

"Get in positions" Aegis commanded.

"They all did so, Evelyn making sure she had a square distance away from Frederic, while Sasha moved just close enough to hit him with her Gun Special.

"Hey wait a second! What's this Tri-Burst special I have? Where's my Gunman Spirit?" Sasha called out.

"Do I look like a Gunner to you? Ask Walker, or Milky" Aegis said.

"Aw to hell with it fine I'm ready" Sasha said.

"As am I" Aegis said.

"Meow!" Misha exclaimed.

Translation: (Let the blood bath commence)

"End turn!" Aegis called out.

Evelyn struck first hitting Frederic, leaving him with a sliver of health which Sasha was more than happy to remove.

"Tri-Burst! I guess" Sasha called out as she performed her three strike attack, and dropping Frederic's health to zero.

"This is all your fault you damn scar-*dead*" Frederic's last words were before dying in a flash of light.

"Impaler Drop!" Aegis called out, delivering a mighty strike, and landing behind Jackinson by the end of it, taking away half his health in the process.

"Meow!"

Translation: (Cat Kick Teaser! How does it feel to be played to death?)

Bringing out a fish from parts unknown Misha used it as a spatula to flip Jackinson up into the air. Once up there Misha planted itself right below him pulling out a yarn ball from realms that are not of this world, and held it in front of it. This caused Jackinson to land on it, and once Misha felt the weight of a the demon Misha began to show off it's surprising strength by pushing the yarn ball upwards into the air three times. Once the fourth time had come Misha decided not to hold back, and pushed the yarn ball as hard as it could sending it, and Jackinson flying out of view of the crowding demon audience. Soon after Misha rolled out of the way, and Jackinson fell to the floor hard, but dealing enough damage to bring his health down to the single digits, and now it was Jackinson's team to move.

"Ow! Damn it! What kind of monster is that! I need a cigarette!" Jackinson exclaimed as he continued to smoke the same cigarette he just demanded.

"You haven't seen a Catsaber before? Have you lived in a rock this entire time?" Orc Captain asked.

"Hrgh! Shut up...damn it there's no way out of this. You three better not screw up, here's how it's going to play out. Howlwitzer, show that cat some manners, and puke all over it's fur. Orc Captain you just learn a new skill put it to use on that damn cat, and I'll also be joining your endeavor. Before I die I want to see that flea-bag go down first. Patches, you'll strike down the Fighter Girl with your special for bringing them to us. Move!" Jackinson commanded

They did so not caring that they were simply pawns for an angry demon's revenge. Orc Captain was on Misha's right, Howlwizter was on it's left, and Jackinson was right in front of it.

"I'm gonna enjoy this...end turn!" Jackinson called out.

"Duh~ Zombie Puke!" Howlwitzer began, firing a ball of green slime at Misha, and doing surprisingly little damage.

"I knew it...Mistake Eraser!" Orc Captain called out. At the end of it Misha was left with a quarter health left.

"Why is this so difficult? Any last words?" Jackinson said before he was about to deliver.

"Meow, meow, mew, mew!" Misha cried out.

Translation: (Hurry up, and kill me, I'll be in Hades by the time you're eating breakfast!)

"Jackknife!" Jackinson called out delivering the final blow, and dropping Misha's health to zero.

"Me~ow...*Dead*" Were Misha's last words before vanishing in an orb of light.

Translation: (I could have killed ten demons by the time he had finished his sp-)

"Die, die, die my sweet, Dancing Knife!" Patches rasped

Patches delivered an uppercut...with it's foot, strong enough to send Evelyn flying. That, and two other knives he apparently hid as well, and once Evelyn once again had contact with Patches' foot he kicked her back into the air, as well as the two knives, and began juggling them. The crowd went wild as most of them have never seen such an attack before, or demon for that matter, and for the climactic end Patches held Evelyn with a single foot, but instead of juggling her again he instead left her there causing the two knives to stab at her back. Once that was done he at last kicked her up in the again, and returned to his square before Evelyn landed on hers. Her health dropped to more than a quarter, and just nearly reaching the halfway point.

It was now Aegis' turn.

"Misha...you took it better than any demon I saw, although I can't help, but think you're evility had something to do with it. No matter you fought bravely, and we'll be coming back for you" Aegis said.

"Our little buddy didn't deserve that..." Sasha said.

"We can't let out emotions get the better of us, Sasha you shall close in, and strike Jackinson with a normal attack." Aegis began.

"No sweat!" Sasha assured.

"Evelyn, and I shall deliver our special against their puppet, it should be enough to end it" Aegis said.

"Ready whenever you are" Evelyn said.

"Get moving" Aegis called out.

Sasha moved swiftly through the many squares, and finding herself four squares away from Jackinson. She aimed, and all was left was to pull the trigger while Aegis used all three of his moves to get behind Patches, and Evelyn moved to it's right side so as not to get in the way of Aegis' special.

"End turn!" Aegis called out

"Yahoo~" Sasha cried out as she fired her gun, and draining the last remainder of Jackinson's health.

"You damn...breathing floatation device-*dead*" were Jackinson's final words.

"Impaler drop!" Evelyn called out, performing her special swiftly, and perfectly, dealing a large chunk of damage that left Patches with a quarter health.

"Impaler drop!" Aegis roared, decimating what was left of Patches' heal, as well as Patches himself.

"I~ will be thinking of you until I come ba~ck-*dead*" Patches moaned before dying.

"Ew~" Evelyn, and Sasha groaned together.

Now it was the enemy's turn.

"Since our current team leader died, I shall take the reins as Captain!" Orc Captain declared.

"...Uh~...'kay!" Howlwitzer exclaimed.

"Victory is just within our grasp we shall end this in victory!" Orc Captain exclaimed.

"You say victory a lot! Makes me believe!" Howlwitzer exclaimed

"Yes we shall win this! Now attack with full force on that Heavy knight my rook!" Orc Captain declared

"Rargh! You got it!" Howlwitzer assured moving behind Aegis.

"I shall join you in your attack with my special skill!" Orc Captain assured, moving to Aegis' right side.

"With this I end our turn!" Orc Captain declared.

Howlwizter struck at Aegis dealing a critical hit, and lowering his health by a quarter.

"Captain's Mistake Eraser!" Orc Captain declared.

His special combined with the combo drove Aegis health to just below one half, but now it was his turn to strike back.

"...One of the many rules of war, strike the leader first if the situation allows, and the team shall disperse" Aegis said.

"But there's only two guys" Evelyn said.

"Nonetheless it is still a sound strategy. Evelyn, myself, and Sasha shall all strike at their Orc Captain. Sasha will do so with her special, while we weaken him with both our normal attacks." Aegis said.

"This is losing it's appeal buddy" Sasha said.

"This isn't about entertainment, our lives are at stake" Evelyn said.

"If that is the case, then we shall die in a blaze of glory!" Aegis cried out.

"I'd rather avoid that" Evelyn said.

"Does everyone understand their commands?" Aegis asked.

Both girls nodded.

"Then let it be so, start moving, and on my go we shall strike" Aegis

They walked to their desired locations. Sasha was till far from the enemies while at a close enough distance to hit Orc Captain with a Tri-Burst while Aegis moved to the Orc Captain's left side, and Evelyn took off to his right side.

"Evelyn shall hit first, then I, then Sasha understand? End turn!" Aegis said.

Evelyn stabbed Orc Captain dealing a quarter damage, then Aegis stabbed the Orc leaving the Orc with less than half of it's health.

"I suppose this isn't so bad...Tri-Burst!" Sasha cried out.

She performed her special beautifully, and diminished the remainder of Orc Captain's health.

"The leader should not have been the middle man to die, Howlwizter avenge me!*Dead*" Orc Captain shouted out before dying.

"...I'm hungry" Howlwitzer replied.

"One can only imagine the cunning plan he has to destroy us" Aegis grunted.

"(Hehe, pretty butterfly~)" Howlwizter thought as his focus had wandered toward the complete opposite of the battle.

"...If the length of that Zombie's drool is any estimate to how long we'll be here, this is gonna take a while" Sasha said.

"Regardless, it is his turn we must wait for his move, then slaughter him afterward" Aegis said standing firm in his square.

"...Can I sit down?" Evelyn said.

"...I suppose" Aegis allowed.

Walker, Berry Melon, Elfie

"Excuse me miss, but was that an earthquake I felt, or did you just rocked my world?" Schrodinger asked a passing Green Mage.

He was met with a staff to the head.

"Loser!" The Green Mage called out before walking away.

"Hey how long are you planning on doing this?" Walker asked.

"I don't get it, those were one of my best lines, maybe I have to go all out?" Schrodinger figured.

"Don't just ignore me damn you!" Walker exclaimed.

He did not receive an answer, because at that moment Schrodinger spotted a passing Thief.

"Hold on a second I just realized something!" Schrodinger declared.

"W-what is it?" The Thief replied.

"You look like me next girlfriend" Schrodinger answered.

A swift jab to the gut said otherwise.

"...Elfie~" Walker muttered.

"I'm only doing this because I like hearing you call my name" Elfie dully muttered as she applied the medicine, and by that I mean she spat on him.

"This is getting ridiculous" Schrodinger said.

"No, I've seen ridiculous, and this isn't even close" Walker said.

"No common sense these demons" Schrodinger said.

"I think it's the opposite" Elfie muttered.

"It can't be that hard to start a group going" Berry Melon said.

"Ah, but even if I, the very definition of charisma, and suave can't even bring one demon to my side, then it is in fact impossible." Schrodinger said.

"What a damn sissy, complaining about something being hard. If it makes you work at it, then it's all the more worth it-ow!" Walker said as he accidentally bumped into someone due to having to turn around to face Schrodinger.

Not really feeling anything sore, he turned forward to face the demon he bumped into, and saw that it was a Lady Fighter.

"Pretty sure that was your fault" the Lady Fighter said as she was standing up.

"In such a wide road like this, neither of us could have turned the other way? I think we're both at fault here" Walker calmly said though he knew he was mostly to blame.

"I guess you're right, hey it might be destiny you know?" The Lady Fighter said.

"I was gonna say fate, but hey they're one in the same" Walker responded.

"I guess great minds think alike, *giggle*" the Lady Fighter said giggling softly at her own joke.

"Heh...yeah I guess they do, you're pretty impressive there" Walker responded with a gentle smile even he didn't plan for.

"You're pretty cool, not like all the dumb Fighters I've been hanging out with. You know this is my first time meeting a Gunner" the Lady Fighter said.

"Well it comes with training after all, we don't just practice our aim. We also do everything we can to keep cool under the extreme heat of the desert, sometimes just acting cool helps when we have nothing left." Walker explained.

"Wow~ I'd really like to know more...maybe we can meet again, grab a coffee, or something?" The Lady Fighter shyly asked.

"I suppose if I'm not busy with guild work I can take sometime to explain more" Walker said.

"R-really! Well I don't normally do this, but here's my number, I'll just write it down on this piece of paper here and...there! Maybe we can discuss this through the phone if we're both too busy" the Lady Fighter said.

"That sounds like a good idea, but I have a job to do at the moment so I end our chat short." Walker said taking the piece of paper containing her digits.

"O-oh right, I-I uh~ have to go too, see you soon maybe?" The Lady Fighter said.

"If our paths cross again, and seeing as how this is our only path, I suppose it will" Walker said tipping his hat, and walking away with the rest of his guild, the setting sun glowing a golden orange in front of him.

"Wow~" the Lady Fighter swooned.

"I-I don't believe this! Hang on just a second!" Schrodinger said returning to the Lady Fighter they just met.

"Apart from being sexy what do you do for a living?" Schrodinger asked.

"Freak!" The Lady Fighter exclaimed deliver a straight punch to the nose, and following it with a knee to the groin before taking off.

"Elfie~" Walker muttered.

"I'm on it..." Elfie said.

One recovery later.

"So~ are you going to call her anytime soon?" Berry Melon teased.

"Huh? Oh this...you know I don't even know why she gave me this, I've never called, or needed to call anyone before in my life" Walker said.

"B-but are you going to see her?" Berry Melon asked.

"Sure she seemed really interested in learning more about Gunners, and I'm always happy to oblige a curious demon...so long as the topic is about Gunners." Walker said.

"I think she is interested in a single type of Gunner" Elfie hinted.

"Which would that be? Hitman, Outlaw, Bullseye?" Walker asked.

"So dense..." Elfie muttered

"You're horrible brother" Berry Melon said.

"How?" Schrodinger said.

"What was that? I don't speak failure" Walker said.

"How did he accomplish something on his first time after I have fail so many times!" Schrodinger said.

"Accomplish what? I was just having a conversation with a female demon." Walker said.

"And he wasn't even trying!" Schrodinger cried out.

"You know she did seem pretty normal, maybe I should take her up on offer, I could finally have someone who can hold a decent conversation, and not have it end in such a loud riot" Walker figured.

"W-what! Aren't we normal enough for you?" Elfie asked

"I-is it because I'm too cute? Because I can't change how I look, and you should be sensitive about my feelings about it." Berry Melon cried out, in a world where you can reincarnate, and change your looks entirely whenever you want.

"And you have jealous partners?" Schrodinger shouted.

"It's more annoying than it looks" Walker assured

"How did he do it?" Schrodinger asked.

"I'm not Walker, I'm Elfie" Elfie assured.

"...How is he doing all of this?" Schrodinger asked.

"I'm Berry Melon" Berry Melon explained.

"Face it Schrodinger you're gonna have to swallow your self made pride, and talk to Walker directly, I would offer some psychiatric help, but this isn't my office" Elfie said.

"You mean your room?" Walker reminded.

"When do I get my own office?" Elfie asked.

"What's this all of a sudden? Even I don't have my own office, and you all of a sudden feel like you deserve one?" Walker demanded to know.

"Pretty please?" Elfie said swallowing all of her pride.

"Ugh! You even said please...you're that desperate huh? I guess I can spare some HL, but first we need to update our weapons" Walker said.

"Yay" Elfie whispered.

"I-I want something too!" Berry Melon declared.

"What now?" Walker said.

"I want a cotton candy machine!" Berry Melon cheered.

"Are you kidding me? You girls must think I'm made of HL, or something!" Walker argued.

"Please? Think about your little sister?" Berry Melon pleaded.

"I have no little sister, you're my big sister remember?" Walker reminded.

"So that's a maybe right?" Berry Melon said.

"*Sigh* if you promise to keep your sugar rush outside, and be back inside by your sugar crash, and I'll add it to my list" Walker assured.

"Ha-ha!" Berry Melon cheered in victory.

"So will this help me get followers?" Schrodinger asked.

"No, see you use bad pick up lines without realizing that all pick up lines are bad" Elfie explained.

"But how will I converse with someone without using pick up lines?" Schrodinger asked.

"Well you-" Elfie began.

"Hold on a second there's a fight up ahead" Walker interrupted.\

"Neato, but why are some of the demon audience sleeping?" Berry Melon wondered.

"I think I recognize those two...yup, there's only one Gunslinger in this town...It's Sasha, and I'm guessing the Heavy Knight is Aegis" Walker realized.

"It looks like Sasha, and some girl got hit with a sleep spell since they're both knocked out" Elfie said.

"Looks like they could use some help" Walker said.

"Walker! Elfie! Over here!" They heard one of their allies shouting across the distance.

"Is that Milky? Come on maybe she can shed some light in this." Walker said.

"Why did you call Walker over here?" Kimberly whispered harshly.

"I-I thought it would be nice if we were all together again...but I can't seem to find Firefly" Milky said.

"Have you forgotten that we are in a complicated matter?" Kimberly said.

"When's it gonna be my turn to be on top?" Noelle asked from the bottom of their two demon tower.

"Just a little longer, I want to see what happens" Isabelle assure from the top of the tower.

"Well better sooner than later" Limbo said.

"Not under these circumstances!" Kimberly exclaimed.

"Under what circumstances?" Walker asked now that he, and his group reached them.

"N-nothing, nothing at all! W-well it is something, but you know it's a amusing tale which I'm sure you would be delighted in hea-...who is that?" Kimberly asked.

"Who is who...oh you mean our client" Walker said.

"Ugh, I didn't think you would know one of their types" Schrodinger said.

"Walker why is that ilk of existence doing near my presence?" Kimberly demanded to know.

"He's the one who's hired us, and so far it's been next to impossible to accomplish our job to get him a recruit to follow him." Walker explained.

"Well I am not surprised, Rangers are the scum of the scum of the Netherworld, no one will be interested in even being near their line of sight" Kimberly stated.

"Is that why it's been so hard?" Walker asked.

"I believe she is exaggerating" Elfie explained

"Honestly I don't know how you ladies put up with this pompous wreck. If I were you I would kick her out of your guild, she'll sacrifice you on the spot if it will save her hair. Then again that is all they have left, big hair to compensate for such a small chest" Schrodinger retaliated.

"Why I've never! The nerve of this man thinking such ludicrous beliefs, why it's no wonder everyone favors us over your kind! Walker you should finish what he needs, and end your relations with him, and make sure to charge him extra for no reason" Kimberly said.

"This dates back a while doesn't it?" Walker asked.

"Good guess, but I'm afraid because I am a healer in this Netherworld, I have little to no information about the Archer, and Ranger history together. That kind of question is best saved for a healer who lives besides both classes in another Netherworld." Elfie said.

"It sure seems like Kimberly knows all too well about Rangers though" Walker said.

"All Archers just like all classes are raised in neutral Netherworlds until they finished their class training, and go off to another Netherworld to begin their personal journey away from their safe class haven. You of course could have gone anywhere out of the many Netherworld, but you chose here, as did I, and a few others." Elfie said.

"Oh yeah, I had to choose which Netherworld to go to, and after getting plastered to help me choose I wound up here" Walker said.

"Yes, and all of us know just what these mongrels are, I thought living here would get me away from them, but it appears as if I'm cursed to be connected to them it seems...if Peach Basket had anything to do with this I will do unspeakable things to her!" Kimberly threatened

"Why am I even talking to the flat-chested pompous bitch? I see someone who's more worthy of my attention" Schrodinger said moving towards Milky.

"Hey..." Schrodinger growled seductively.

"Uh...hi?" Milky awkwardly responded while waving a shaky right hand.

"You're so beautiful that I forgot my pick up line" Schrodinger said.

"...my bad?" Milky said unaffected, but at least he wasn't in pain so he took this as a start, and got closer.

"As a demon I don't own a library card, but do you mind if I check you out anyways?" Schrodinger continued.

"...I need my space" Milky said backing away.

"Aw come on don't be like that, I-ugh!" Schrodinger was saying until he was kicked in the back of the knee, and toppled over.

"T-thanks" Milky said.

"It was my pleasure, I may despise Thieves, but...you're different, I feel like we have a bond that can surpass my hatred of your kind" Kimberly awkwardly said.

"Really~" Milky replied feeling something she shouldn't rightfully feel as a demon.

"Let's not get ahead of ourselves though, we're a team, and just that...but again you're welcome to join me for tea whenever you wish, I'll allow you to share the room with me" Kimberly responded.

"Damn you! You ruined my chance you crazy bitc-ow!" Schrodinger cried out, he was quickly interrupted by a second kick to the back of the knee, this time by Milky.

"So what's going on?" Walker asked getting back to the real topic.

"Well as you can see some of our teammates are currently waging war with what appears to be a Zombie with a mental deficiency. The monster has been circling the field not making a single move that will end it's turn, I just got here, but from what I've heard the crowd was much bigger that it is now." Kimberly explained

"Great, that's just great...hey Aegis!" Walker cried out.

The Heavy Knight turned around to face Walker.

"How long have you've been standing there?" Walker asked.

"...More than necessary" Aegis answered.

"A-phew, a-phew" Sasha was snoozing.

"I can't eat another bite mommy~" Evelyn was muttering in her sleep.

"Well now I know what's wrong, you're doing it wrong, here let me show you" Walker said entering the field.

"Whatever it takes, just end this already" Aegis said.

"Hey stupid!" Walker called out

"He-he talking moth..." Howlwitzer muttered.

"Over here you moron!" Walker called out even louder

"Duh~-huh?" Howlwitzer said.

"I have twenty pounds of raw meat for you if come over here!" Walker lied.

"Gimme, gimme!" Howlwizter said moving five squares to the his right, but still two squares away from Walker.

"End your turn so I can come to you" Walker advised.

"O-okay! I end turn!" Howlwitzer said

"Awesome, Kimberly, Milky, Limbo, Elfie, Berry Melon get over here!" Walker called out.

The girls, and Limbo did so all lined up in a row at the right side of the field.

Berry Melon use fire, Milky use Tri-Burst, Elfe fire an arrow, Kimberly do the same, Limbo use fire" Walker ordered.

Berry Melon stayed where she was, one square away from Howlwitzer, Milky moved three squares behind Howlwitzer with Walker in front of her, Elfie, moved diagonally to it's right, and Kimberly moved diagonally to it's left, Limbo moved to it's right, and they had all prepared their attacks.

"Alright first I'll use Tri-Burst, then Milky, then Kimberly, then Limbo, then Berry Melon, and Elfie in that order got it?" Walker reviewed.

"Sure as sunshine" Berry Melon assured.

"It shall be done" Kimberly said.

"I can comply~" Limbo moaned.

"Of course boss" Elfie said.

"No problem-o" Milky said.

"Execute" Walker said

Walker used Tri-Burst, then Milky did the same, at that point Howlwitzer's health was almost at the quarter mark. Kimberly fired her arrow hitting it's mark, then Limbo cast fire.

"Only I can create forest fires!" Berry Melon exclaimed dealing what soon became the final blow.

Berry Melon's fire dropped Howlwitzer's health to zero thus finally ending the prolonged fight.

"So...no meat? *Dead*"Howlwitzer said before his life ended.

The battle at last over the field around them returned to normal, a small sack containing their winnings was seen, Walker quickly picked it up.

"Thank you kindly" Walker said soon afterward.

"A-phew, a-phew" Sasha snored softly

"Wake them up..." Walker said.

"Hey...hey...hey...hey..." Milky repeated as she slightly tapped Evelyn with her foot.

"I have a staff!" Berry Melon declared.

"I have a staff!" Noelle declared.

"I have a staff!" Isabelle said.

Three girls poked Sasha with their staffs.

"Baiting my enemy has always been a specialty whether I needed to piss them off, or bribe them" Walker gloated.

"...Not the way I wanted it to end, but it got the job done" Aegis said.

"Okay, okay! I'm getting up!" Sasha called out as he picked herself up from the poking onlsaught.

"*Yawn~* did we win?" Evelyn asked.

"We are victorious, and now they are too deceased to bother you, or anyone for a long time" Aegis assured.

"That Zombie sounded familiar, or are all zombies like that?" Walker asked.

"That's a harsh stereotype Walker, a lot of zombies are actually quite clever. I mean can you imagine how embarrassing it would be if say the humans were overrun by mindless zombies who can't even open doors with door knobs? That will be utterly shameful to be so overpowered by stupid bodies aimlessly walking around biting anything that moves. So of course Zombie monsters classes can be quite intelligent, it would be the height of foolishness if you were to be defeated by a zombie that was actually brain-dead" Elfie explained in unnecessary detail.

"Okay, I get it, wait you're missing someone. Where's Misha?" Walker asked.

"Yeah! Where's our Guild Mascot?" Berry Melon asked.

"(...I kind of wanted to be a mascot)" Limbo thought to himself.

"Misha is not our mascot...we don't need a mascot" Walker asked.

"Before you get out of topic again, I must inform you that Misha has passed away" Aegis said.

"So we have to pay her back to life? Very well" Walker said.

"Off to the Clinic then?" Elfie asked

"Of course" Walker said.

"This field trip is getting long" Noelle said.

"That means it's become a road trip!" Isabelle said.

"Hooray!" Both girls cheered.

"...Who are they?" Walker asked.

"They are our clients, Noelle is the Green Mage, Isabelle is the Blue Mage" Kimberly introduced.

"Hi, hi!" Isabelle, and Noelle exclaimed

"Oh, uh~ hey" Walker greeted back.

"We came along-" Noelle began

"-Because we wanted to meet you!" Isabelle said.

"Oh! By the way we saved you some cookies they baked for us, help yourself" Milky quickly said extending a warm basket of freshly baked cookies.

"...Okay I guess I'll take one. So how did they suit you? Did they accomplish what you wanted them to do?" Walker asked as they began trekking towards the Clinic.

"Yes they did! It was fun-" Noelle began

"-But it was short! That's why we're here-" Isabelle continued.

"-To play some more with you!" Noelle finished.

"Hey gimme some of those snacks!" Sasha said reaching out for the basket, as did everyone else.

"Was that it? Milky you yellowed bellied coward!" Walker scolded.

"Well I-I...maybe I watched too many horror movies..." Milky shamefully admitted.

"There you see, she is not a coward, merely over-exaggerating" Kimberly defended.

"Pack leader! Pack leader!" A hyper voice cried out from behind them.

"Sounds like Pea-wha-!" Walker was saying then suddenly felt weight on his back, and shoulders as Peach Basket suddenly jumped on him.

"Pack leader here! Peach Basket smell him!" Peach Basket exclaimed.

"Hm~ interesting...but first" Schrodinger said

He rushed over to the sisters Noelle, and Isabelle.

"Hey there baby dolls, did you know there isn't a word in the dictionary for how good you two look?" Schrodinger said moving in between them.

"There isn't?" Both girls exclaimed excitedly, mostly out of shock though.

"Is that true, can it be true?" Noelle asked her twin.

"I don't know, maybe it's true, is it true?" Isabelle asked anyone else listening in.

"It could be true, but I don't know, is it true?" Berry Melon pitched in.

"This could be true, or not true it's so exciting, can it be true?" Noelle asked.

"This is very confusing, I wish I knew if it can be true" Isabelle said.

"We have to find a dictionary on the double to find out if it could be true!" Berry Melon exclaimed.

"Stop saying the word 'true'!" Walker at last could not take anymore.

"Moving on!" Schrodinger quickly said realizing their conversation was going nowhere.

"Moving on to where?" Walker asked.

"Hey! You're lips look lonely, would they like to meet mine?" Schrodinger asked.

"Ooah~?" Peach Basket answered clearly confused

"So is that a yes?" Schrodinger asked.

"Seriously? A Shaman, you're gonna be in a world of hurt before you could get anything out of a relationship with them...and why are you still on my shoulders?" Walker said.

"Oh! You want curse of forced commitment!" Peach Basket exclaimed.

"With you baby it's hardly a curse" Schrodinger said.

"Not a curse...Peach Basket's curse of forced commitment not good enough to be curse?" Peach Basket said as she began to grow upset.

"Are you kidding me? With you it's the opposite of a curse" Schrodinger complimented.

"Opposite of curse! *W-whaa~h*!" Peach Basket suddenly began to cry.

"W-what's going on?" Schrodinger exclaimed.

"Way to go jackass, although I don't blame you for not knowing, but apparently Peach Basket get's really depressed when you insult, ignore, or talk negatively about curses. So by that logic calling her curse anything, but a curse to her means that she sucks at her favorite class" Walker explained as he felt his hat, and poncho get wet from Peach Basket's tears.

"Whaa~!" Peach Basket continued to sob loudly

"I-I didn't kno-" Schrodinger was saying.

"W-wait f-for us!" Firefly was heard calling out in the distance, and interrupting Schrodinger.

"Making me run when it's my weakest ability, it's so cruel!" Lloyd groaned.

To everyone all they saw was Firefly, and Lloyd running after them as if they had been running for quite a while, but for Schrodinger it was a different story. All he saw was Firefly, even the passing demons, and buildings were non-existent all there was, was Firefly. Running slowly towards him with a lewd smile, and lustful eyes met solely for him. Her short, but cute hair swaying back, and forth glinting softly from the sweat of her beautiful face. Her long legs, gracefully running towards him, her chest heaving up, and down with excitement which he could only guess was at the thought of being near him. Then he felt a stinging pain in the back of his knee, and he toppled over.

"O-ow! Stop doing that!" Schrodinger complained out loud.

"Well we needed some way of waking you up from whatever filthy day dream you were having." Kimberly said.

"Besides that was me cowpoke" Sasha admitted

"...As were saying, continue Firefly" Walker urged.

"Well we stayed for a while, and eventually h-he told us we did enough, and even gave us a little extra for the great work!" Firefly excitedly explained

"That's great! We're gonna need it to bring back Misha, but with all the HL we've saved up we should have more than enough for new gear for everyone!" Walker assured.

"Then we shall return to our poor, and desperate positions...woe is us" Lloyd said.

"Let's celebrate by blowing all our HL on ice cream!" Berry Melon declared.

"Ice cream!" Noelle, and Isabelle cried out together.

"Then there wouldn't be anything to celebrate to if we did that!" Walker reminded.

"That's right, let's go gambling! I'll even set everything up!" Sasha assured.

"No way I'm letting your cheating face get near my HL!" Walker argued.

"You people are...strange" Evelyn realized.

"You've been awfully quiet" Limbo said.

"I feel a little out of place with them" Evelyn admitted.

"They are quite a bunch, luckily I don't bring attention to myself to allow them to get to-" Aegis was saying.

"We should have a barbecue, we could use parts of Aegis useless armor to make a sturdy grill, it's not like he needs the entire set" Sasha said.

"If you so much as try pry a sheet of my armor I'll crush all your bones...slowly!" Aegis angrily called out stomping towards Sasha.

"...I guess it's a little over the top...are you guys going to be okay?" Evelyn asked.

"Don't ask me, I didn't even sign up to their club, and yet for some reason I can't seem to turn away..." Limbo said.

"And now they're wrestling each other..." Evelyn realized.

"Oh yes it appears that way...looks like Sasha has a very tight full nelson on Walker for some reason" Limbo said.

"Yeah, and with that little Shaman girl clubbing her head like that while she's still at it...and look! Those three Mages are piling up on that Archer while that Thief is trying to pry them off." Evelyn said.

"We were just talking too, amazing how quickly the the mood can turn...look at Aegis go, I've never seen a Ranger cry so much just by being sat on" Limbo said.

"Looks like the Magic Knight went into a fetal position, and is just rocking back, and forth while some Blue Skull is just writing something in a black notebook while crying to himself" Evelyn said.

"Looks like the brawl is slowing down...everyone is calming down, some last minute jabs, and punches..." Limbo said.

"I'll ask you again, are you guys going to be okay?" Evelyn repeated.

_End of Chapter_

_Special Sasha Deal 2!_

"Well howdy there again partners! Don't tell me y'all came back just to see little young me did ya? Well of course ya did, and let me tell you I couldn't be any happier, you, my loyal sucke-I mean fans went out of your way, and bought all of my stocked 'larger peep hole doors'!" Sasha declared.

"We only had one" Aegis reminded.

"And how much that one door you guys spent on that auction got us! Although I couldn't help, but think I was partially responsible after I...'let it slip' that I gave it a little smooch on the side for luck *wink*" Sasha teased.

"You're gonna give me my fair share of the HL for selling my door right Sasha?" Evelyn said.

"But now that's old news, and we're moving on to the next best seller! Elfie if you would kindly show us what's behind curtains number 2~!" Sasha excitedly exclaimed, and ignoring Evelyn

Elfie raised the curtains with a tug of a rope, and presented to the audience a blue basket with a green blanket covering the top.

"Our next item is this minty basket!" Sasha declared.

"Elfie quit dancing in front of the item you're drawing attention away from it!" Milky called out.

"Now I know what you're thinking..." Sasha said.

"Wait a second, you expect me to waste my hard earn HL on a decorative basket? D-did I say that right? I-I don't-, I-I hope I d-did" Firefly said.

"Of course not! Sure the basket itself is very impressive, but it's what's inside is what you truly desire! Elfie if you don't mind..."

Elfie lifted the blanket off to reveal the surprise.

"This basket comes with a fresh batch of delicious chocolate chip cookies!" Sasha announced.

"Amazing! I've never seen anything like it!" Berry Melon cried out.

"But wait, it get's better! Not only are these cookies freshly baked, soft, and warm, but! They've been home-made by a set of lovely twin girls!"

"We baked it ourselves, just for you!" Isabelle, and Noelle cheerfully shouted.

"That's right, and who wouldn't want a baked batch of cookies made by two cuties to show off to your students, friends, or co-workers! It'll definitely beat the store bought noodle soup they brought with them!" Sasha said.

"Now everyone will believe I have two twin girlfriends!" Schrodinger exclaimed as he was busy pre-ordering a basket.

"Buy it within the next day, and I'll even 'autograph' this merchandise too" Sasha said, blowing a kiss to the audience soon afterward as a sort of hint.

"You had me at free cookies I want my basket now...I can't believe you're making me say these stupid things..." Walker muttered.

"So hurry up, and bring your HL, or just throw it at the screen, trust me, it'll get there *wink*, bye~!" Sasha waved goodbye

_Real End of Chapter_

_Don't expect these Sasha deals to appear all the time, they are just occasional. This was actually close to finished a day ago, but I was already working on the next chapter because a weekend camping trip will keep me offline for a few days, and I wanted to get a head start. Anyways thanks for the views, the reviews, for reading this far, and of course your patience!_


	13. Chapter 13

_Chapter 13: Closed For the Day_

_Ever been called upon with a ouija board Limbo?_

_Limbo: Several times by teenage girls who ask me stupid questions like 'does he like me', or 'will I ever get rich, or married?' Sometimes I just turn invisible, and pick up the board to make it look like it's floating, but do they get scared of me? No! it's always the 'devil' that get's the credit..._

_...A yes, or a no would have been cool too. Enjoy!_

Middle of the road near the Clinic

"On the bright side at least we're heading for the clinic so Elfie wouldn't have to tire herself out spitting at us" Berry Melon said.

"I had loads of fun-" Noelle began.

"And I can't wait to do it again!" Isabelle finished.

"Sasha, of all the idiotic things you've done to me...randomly choking me like that was definitely up there..." Walker said, but it was next to impossible to tell whether he was furious, depressed, or any combination of the two.

"Is that really the best you think I could do? Guess I better step my game up" Sasha concluded.

"That wasn't an invitation to stir up more trouble!" Walker exclaimed.

"Thank evilness everyone's a-alright" Firefly said.

"Not really, Misha is still dead" Aegis said.

"R-right! We should really take care of that" Firefly insisted.

"Yeah, let's walk to the rescue" Milky casually said.

"I can already see it now, just a minute, or so walk ahead" Elfie reported.

"...The pain~" Schrodinger groaned.

"Be thankful that I'm carrying you over my shoulder you weakling" Aegis growled.

"The only thing that could make this day any better now would be a spot of my favorite tea...wait a minute, I have some at the guild, *giggle*" Kimberly said feeling satisfied at the pain Schrodinger was going through.

"I can't believe they're acting as if nothing has happened?" Evelyn said.

"Well they...sometimes...you know how a group of pals...you got me there, even I don't understand why" Limbo said.

"Following in my footsteps I see my co-workers~

Wallowing through the grit, and dirt with no orchards~

Swallowing my pride, and life away...feeling nothing, but torture~

Hollowing out the noise outside burning away all, like a scorcher~" Lloyd poetical described.

"...I can't snap my fingers" Berry Melon declared.

"Peach Basket know how you feel! Cursed to never snap fingers!" Peach Basket exclaimed apparently done crying.

"I guess to some of us it just comes naturally" Sasha gloated.

"I had no idea naturally for you meant several dozens years, because that's not natural that's just you failing-ow! Damn it, my knee!" Walker groaned loudly as Sasha kicked him in his left knee.

"Careful! Peach Basket nearly fell!" Peach Basket said.

"Why are you still on my shoulders!" Walker exclaimed.

"Why won't you carry me on your shoulders?" Elfie asked.

"You got working feet don't ya?" Walker retaliated.

"Meh, mehme, mememeh~...that's what you sound like" Elfie countered.

"You really broke my spirits there Elfie, I'm really feeling it" Walker sarcastically answered.

"...Don't any of you care for the extra demon following us?" Kimberly said.

"Are you guys done wrestling? Aw~ that's no fun, I wanted to show off my German Suplex!" Exclaimed a Wood Golem.

"Do we know you?...Don't tell me you're the same bloke that crashed into me several days ago!" Kimberly said.

"Yup that's me! Haven't had a decent party since then, thought the Male Humanoid Demon Pride Parade was interesting, but they wouldn't let me join! So it thought I'd crash the party, and by that I mean crash the party, I ran head first into the float, and ripped it in half with just my head!" The Wood Golem gloated.

"That's interesting, it's too bad we missed that part, but we are done arguing so we shall have this conversation at another date" Kimberly said.

"Yeah sure, I got to get back to my group too, see ya at the next kegger!" The Wood Golem exclaimed as he separated from the group.

At that point they had reached the clinic, and went inside.

"Matilda, we need you again" Walker called out.

There was no response.

"Oi! Clinic Healer where are you?" Walker called out.

"Maybe she's too lazy to answer?" Milky said.

"She is most likely behind the counter, I would begin our search there" Aegis pointed out.

Walker took a peak behind the counter as he was instructed, and found a quaint surprise.

"What the hell?" Walker muttered to himself.

He saw Matilda sitting in a very kotatsu, a heated table which is heavily blanketed, and low to the ground, which may, or may not contain a heater at the center. The wooden table was a dark oak brown wood, and quite small, fitting two people at best, four if you, and your friends were either children, or really small. The heavy blanket was a soft yellow with a daisy flower pattern, and Matilda herself was quite awake, and reading a book that she appeared to be losing interest in as her head would occasionally nod up, and down.

"Ladies, and Gentlemen, our town clinic" Walker declared with disappointment.

"Best, first impression, ever" Sasha said.

"Oh? A talking book? *Yawn~*" Matilda spoke softly.

"Up here!" Walker called out.

Matilda slowly turned her head upward to see a very impatient Walker.

"Have we met?" Matilda said wiping the sleeping out of her eyes...or at least it appeared that way.

"Someone take over for me, there's only so much idiocy that I can take in a day" Walker groaned while stepping away from the counter.

"I got this" Sasha said stepping up to the plate.

Eventually Matilda sluggishly picked herself up, and stood in front of the counter where she rightly belongs.

"After I finally found a perfect position too..." Matilda whispered.

Ignoring that last part, we need you to heal us!" Sasha said.

Matilda looked over the her customers with a lazy turn of her head which took a whole minute to complete.

"I will have to charge you this much..." Matilda said as she bent down to a nearby cabinet to pick up a familiar looking document.

"Hey isn't that the deceased document?" Milky asked.

"No, this is a separate document that records customers in need of a quick fix. I scanned through your injuries, and the paper in here will produce the total amount depending on how damaged all of you are...after the pay has been met I will perform the necessary treatment, nothing more, nothing less." Matilda explained.

"So what is the total amount?" Kimberly asked.

"It comes to this..." Matilda said showing a triple digit number.

"No way, can't we haggle?" Sasha asked.

"I would, but I...*Snooze~*" Matilda was saying until she suddenly fell asleep standing.

Walker impatiently snapped his fingers three times rapidly to wake her up, which proved succesful.

"Show off" Sasha muttered.

"Right well it's this much, I'm too lazy to haggle..." Matilda dully answered.

"We also have a party member that needs to be resurrected, goes by the name of Misha now" Walker explained.

Matilda brought a second document, scanned it fairly quickly, then stroked it. Soon after she tapped the first document containing the Guild's sustained damage, and amount to pay it off. At first nothing happened, but then Misha's named entered the paper, stretching it by several inches.

"I have added the total amount of Misha's Resurrection to your bill. I have also decided to give your Guild it's own document folder so I may not have to make the tiring work of bringing to separate folders at once. I recommend updating it whenever you recruit someone else to your cause to save me the trouble of bringing out yet another document. This one action will save me time so that I won't have to do more stuff than I would want to." Matilda explained.

"You just want to be more lazy!" Walker realized.

"Don't you get enough sleep Healer?" Aegis asked.

"At least twelve hours" Matilda answered.

"Yet you're still tired?" Limbo asked.

Matilda feeling to lazy to use her vocal cords simply nodded.

"That's no fun-" Noelle said.

"-You need to feel the burn-" Isabelle added.

"-I wanted to say that!" Berry Melon concluded.

"Eh~ We weren't gonna finish it like that" Noelle, and Isabelle both said.

"She needs practice sister, Berry-" Noelle began

"-Melon needs to practice hard!" Isabelle finished.

"I'll do my best!" Berry Melon assured.

"Don't let them tell you what to say" Walker quickly said.

"The price..." Matilda reminded.

"Fine, whatever, do it!" Walker exclaimed.

Matilda muttered something incomprehensible, then the air ducts began emitting a glowing foggy hue that resembled a shimmering blanket you could almost see through. It enveloped the Guild members at first tingling like a cooling mist, then enveloping them with a warm touch, soon after all their wounds were healed. At the same time a bump was heard from the door behind the counter, and moments after the glowing fog evaporated out of the clinic room Matilda opened the door, and springing out was Misha looking good as new.

"Misha! You're alive! How do you feel?" Berry Melon asked.

"Meow, me-meow!" Misha excitedly replied.

Translation: (I have slipped through the cracks of other realms seeing for myself not in three dimensions, but seeing the world through eleven dimensions)

"I guess that's kitty talk for super awesome" Berry Melon figured

"Meow, meow!" Misha answered.

Translation: (Yes, seeing the universe in a way that makes everything we know look miniscule is...awesome)

"If that is all then I should really get back to more important...*yawn* I'm just gonna take a nap" Matilda said retreating back to her kotatsu to continue her laziness in peace.

"It's a wonder anyone is still alive in this town if you're the best they got" Walker muttered before they left.

The sun was setting changing the sky into an orange/reddish hue as Evening approached.

"Wow~ now it looks like-" Noelle began

"You Berry Melon" Isabelle finished

"You really think so!" Berry Melon said.

"Well we better walk you two home before it gets late, it's on the way back from ours so..." Kimberly said.

"Aw~" Noelle, and Isabelle complained.

"...Well I certainly don't mind so long as the pay is good" Walker said.

"Really!" Noelle said.

"Then we should get started baking cookies right away!" Isabelle finished.

"...Now I'm confused...you mean these cookies?" Walker said.

"So we can hire you again!" Noelle, and Isabelle both said.

"...Kimberly, you did get something out of this didn't you?" Walker asked.

"You're eating it I'm afraid" Kimberly said.

"You mean this whole time I didn't get a single HL out of you two?" Walker demanded to know.

"What's HL?" Noelle, and Isabelle truthfully asked.

"One thing I hate more than doing labor, is doing free labor, you two are gonna have to make up for this" Walker declared.

"B-but we don't-" Noelle whimpered.

"-Have enough cookie batter for everyone" Isabelle completed.

"Milky! Anything worthwhile in there?" Walker asked.

"Just toys" Milky answered.

"It'll take me time to make any profit off toys Walker, I'm good, but I'm no Shooting Star" Sasha said.

"Ugh! I can't believe this..." Walker exclaimed.

"Walker, if I may make a suggestion" Elfie said.

"What is it?" Walker said.

"Well there is a process that restaurants use to implore for customers who are unable to pay for their meals" Elfie began.

"We're not running a restaurant!" Walker reminded.

"Let me finish...back then, though it's possible they may still do this now. Well back then they would have the customer pay back the bill by working for them until the amount has been payed in hours working." Elfie finished.

"Hm~ I don't know" Walker said reluctant about such a sudden change.

"Well what else can we do? It's obvious that these two are at least sixty, to eighty years old, barely becoming adults by our standards. They can't seem to hold on to a job, and would refuse one outright" Elfie said.

"Damn it, you have a point...You two!" Walker called forth.

"Is it our turn to ride you-" Noelle began

"Because she's been hogging you all day!" Isabelle finished.

"...You're getting off of me soon right Peach Basket?" Walker calmly asked.

"Peach Basket not feel like it!" Peach Basket argued.

"You're suppose to be because I said so, not because you feel like it!" Walker complained.

"He wouldn't be able to if he wanted" Sasha sneered.

"Your mouth need to stop yapping!" Walker said.

"She speaks the truth, I cannot imagine you lifting anything heavier than a sack of cotton, or a plastic crate of feathers" Aegis added.

"If this is the respect you give to a leader I'd hate to see how you treat an enemy" Walker said.

"By killing them?" Aegis answered.

"Oh yeah..." Walker remembered.

"Walker, the uh...twins?" Limbo reminded.

"Stop getting me off topic!" Walker scolded.

"Stop getting into them so much" Elfie said.

"What did you expect from so many of us..." Lloyd said.

"I-It's scary how often that happens" Firefly said.

"I don't think that's anything to be scared about...concerned maybe" Evelyn said.

"You have HL to pay us with do you not?" Aegis asked.

"Oh yeah! Right here, take it...I could really use a new door though" Evelyn said.

"Well just give me my earnings, and I'll scrape some off to pay for a new door" Aegis said.

"Huh...never thought I'd hear something like that, you got a deal" Evelyn said reaching into her inventory, and pulling out a sack of HL.

"Haven't any of you heard of wallets?" Walker asked.

"Well what else are we suppose to do with the sacks that mysteriously hold the prize HL after every battle?" Kimberly asked.

"I always find a way to use a perfectly good sack, all thieves do" Milky said.

"(I'm glad they stopped talking about my strength, but I don't like where this is going either)" Walker said.

"It feels as if I forgot something..." Schrodinger said.

"Back on to the topic of changing topics" Kimberly said.

"(That wasn't what were suppose to be talking about)" Walker thought to himself.

"Right, well we can't help it sometimes, we just have too much on our thoughts we want to express" Elfie said.

"I want to express my love of candy!" Berry Melon exclaimed.

"We love that idea!" Isabelle, and Noelle both cheered.

"I want to just eat, and go to sleep" Sasha said.

"It was a busy day" Firefly agreed.

"Now I remember!" Schrodinger exclaimed.

He swiftly moved through the group of Guild members to get closer to his real targets.

"I didn't quite catch your name dear, is it Summer by any chance, 'cause you are hot as hell" Schrodinger said.

"E-eh! N-no, my name is F-Firefly!" Firefly nervously corrected.

"Firefly! Now that's pretty close to what I was gonna say next, but I can't help noticing that there's something on your butt" Schrodinger said.

"Eek! Q-quick get it off! *Ah~" Firefly panicked then started feeling dizzy.

"Don't worry it's just my eyes staring at it-w-what the hell?" Schrodinger said when he saw that Firefly suddenly collapsed on the floor out cold.

"...Another smooth move there dumb-ass" Walker mocked.

"W-what did I do!" Schrodinger exclaimed.

"You scared her so badly, she passed out from shock" Elfie explained.

"Who gets to have the honor of carrying her back with us?" Lloyd dully said.

"Well if I must, I should do the-" Schrodinger began

"Aegis you do it" Walker ordered.

"If I must" Aegis reluctantly said, carrying Firefly over his left shoulder like a sack of potatoes.

"I would have volunteered to do it you know" Schrodinger said

"Walker had a moment of brilliance-as rare as they may be, and realized doing so would not benefit Firefly in the least" Kimberly said.

"Yeah up yours too" Schrodinger retaliated.

"I have half a mind to drill a little politeness into that sick skull of yours!" Kimberly argued.

"Mama Archer's mad!" Noelle, and "Isabelle both proclaimed.

"I am neither of your mother, don't mistake what we were playing as real life" Kimberly scolded.

"So I'm guessing you two think Milky is the father?" Walker asked.

"Don't answer him, and for the last time, I'm a girl!" Milky complained.

"Guys we're passing by my house..." Evelyn said.

"Thank you for your business, call us up again" Walker said.

"Good bye to you too then..." Evelyn said walking away from the group.

"Bye~. Bye-bye~" Berry Melon cheered.

"She's not gonna call us ever again..." Walker muttered to himself.

"I'm sure she will~" Elfie poorly assured

"Now then...you two. Since you guys can't pay with actual HL which is how we normally do things, you're gonna have to pay with a different method" Walker said.

"Peanut butter cookies?" Noelle, and Isabelle both answered.

"That would be good-wait, no! You guys have to hang out with us, and pay your due. While we're at it, we'll show you the concept of money so you don't do this to us again" Walker said.

"He just wants to recruit more girls" Elfie said.

"Damn you Elfie!" Walker rapidly exclaimed

"Damn you, for making it look so easy!" Schrodinger exclaimed.

"You got the wrong idea! Get off my back!" Walker exclaimed.

"And why did you tell me that! Walker's over there" Milky said

"No!" Peach Basket said flat out.

"I wasn't talking to you, but you should get off me too!" Walker cried out.

"Everyone's favorite game! The 'piss off Walker' game!" Sasha declared.

"Don't make it into a game!" Walker warned.

"This is so much fun-" Noelle began.

"-We want to play too!" Isabelle said.

"You're already playing!" Sasha said.

"Yay~" Noelle, and Isabelle cheered.

"Look it's getting dark, hey Ranger are you gonna leave us alone?" Walker asked.

"Of course not, I hired you guys to help me recruit more babes, and so far none of you have done that! So I'm staying" Schrodinger declared.

"Why are you talking to me?" Sasha said.

"Speaking of you...Here I am baby, what are your other two wishes?" Schrodinger said

"Well since you asked..." Sasha smirked.

Sasha promptly shot Schrodinger in the knee causing immense amounts of of pain, and weeping.

"That was wish number 1, and number 2 is..." Sasha began.

"We need him alive Sasha, he's still a client" Walker said putting a stop in Sasha's plan.

"Well ain't that just a darn shame then" Sasha said.

"Elfie, you think you got one more spit in you?" Walker said.

"It's starting to feel more like a curse than a blessing you know" Elfie said.

"When you got it flaunt it! Curse away!" Peach Basket exclaimed.

"I don't think that's how it goes, but she has a point" Milky said.

"In this dress? I'm lucky if I can even lift a leg above knee height" Elfie said.

"I have no problem with mine!" Berry Melon exclaimed.

"We can dance too!" Noelle, and Isabelle said.

"The forest path! finally we're close home, you two know you have to pay through work do you?" Walker said.

"Sleepover at someone's house! This is so exciting-" Noelle began.

"Since this is our first time ever!" Isabelle finished.

"Was that a yes?" Walker asked himself

"Some punishment Walker" Sasha mocked.

"I'm feeling better!" Schrodinger declared.

They now began their trek across the wooded trail back to their base of operation.

"Tomorrow will be an excellent day full of purchasing, and upgrading" Walker reminded.

"Speaking of upgrading, where's the Mana store, or whatever? Plus where does a Gunslinger have to go to get a reincarnation here?" Sasha said.

"Well since I can't afford a person to do all that stuff at our place...Aegis where are those stores?" Walker asked.

"We've passed them several times, if you want we can spare some time to investigate" Aegis said.

"That will be helpful" Walker said.

"Hey that's right I just remembered something, Walker where's my Gunman Spirit, what did you do to it?" Sasha asked.

"You're what? Is that some kind of new booze?" Walker asked.

"No my weapon skill! I had it when I came into Evil Academy, then I go to your Netherworld, and now it's gone! Replaced by something else" Sasha said.

"You were in school? Why didn't you tell me!" Berry Melon instantly wanted to know.

"I was looking for you actually, I didn't know you reincarnated. So when I couldn't find you, I just thought you were dead, but I couldn't find your name in the nurse's office either so I had no idea what was going on" Sasha explained.

"Well...how come I couldn't find you?" Berry Melon asked.

"I don't know...why couldn't you find me?" Sasha asked.

"You told me you were basically goofing off the entire time" Walker said.

"Yeah...we should go back, and visit" Berry Melon said.

"Maybe, I don't know..." Walker said.

"So yeah about my Gunman Spirit?" Sasha said.

"I don't know where your drink is" Walker answered.

"That's not-! Wait, I know what you're trying to pull...naughty, naughty trying to get me upset like that Walker. I might have to turn the tables on you" Sasha teased.

"Can't you let me get ahead just this once?" Walker said.

"I believe I have your answer" Elfie said.

"Of course" Walker said.

"Well shoot, before I do" Sasha said.

"It's very simple actually, *ahem* Weapon specials are different for every Netherworld. When you travel to one Netherworld to the other, your weapon specials change to the appropriate attacks in the Netherworld you are approaching. The only exception to this rule would be Monster specials, and those very rare OD, or original demon special attacks." Elfie explained.

"Why is that?" Milky asked.

"Monster specials are not bought, but earned by leveling up. The monster had them at birth, and will stick to them no matter where in the universes he, or she would end up in. For example the Zombie you fought Aegis, did it have any strange new attack you didn't see coming?" Elfie asked.

"Yes...instead of shooting it's skull at me, it just puked at me" Aegis said.

"It's possible that, that Zombie monster class was born in a different Netherworld where an attack like that is common." Elfie concluded.

"So anything you bought will be automatically changed depending on which Netherworld you came from, but anything you're born with will stick with you?" Walker summed up.

"That's it exactly, though I do hear that OD demons can change even their naturally born specials depending on the Netherworld they had entered, but due to their rare existence...well we're practically guessing at this point" Elfie said.

"I think I got the gist of it, Sasha how about you?" Walker asked.

"Okay, so basically I just have to go back to the Netherworld where I got my Gunman Spirit, and it'll come back?" Sasha said.

"Yes that right, it'll also replace your Tri-Burst while it's at it" Elfie said.

"A little weird, but I understand now" Sasha said,

"Head spinning, curse of learning~" Peach Basket groaned.

"I too have learned more than enough, and ready to call it a day" Kimberly said.

"You awful liar" Limbo said.

"And there's the headquarters" Walker said as it was coming into view.

"Wha~ it looks like-" Noelle began

"A tree house on the floor" Isabelle finished.

"Okay, okay, let it all out right now" Walker said knowing what was coming.

"It only has one floor, lame" Schrodinger said.

"It's just made out of wood" Elfie said.

"What?" Walker said.

"It has no paint, so bland" Kimberly said.

"Didn't you already have your say?" Walker asked.

"I bet it won't even burn right" Berry Melon said.

"I didn't mean the rest of-" Walker was saying.

"No barricade, poorly constructed light wood, no defensive capabilities" Aegis said.

"W-what if the roof caves in on us! C-can our house survive a tornado! What about a flood! Oh no, oh no!" Firefly exclaimed.

"I thought it was a quaint little restaurant, but it seems once again others mock what I like...*sigh*" Lloyd said.

"It's so old, and dull, it needs a total remodeling" Sasha said.

"That's enough" Walker said.

"Peach Basket can't curse it any worse than it is!" Peach Basket exclaimed.

"I always enjoyed how old, and wooden it was, like an old house just begging to be haunted" Limbo said.

"Meow, mew, meow!" Misha said.

Translation: (I wouldn't use this place as an outhouse for my future temple!)

"Shut up! It's not done yet!" Walker exclaimed.

"Well let's go in, it's starting to get cold" Berry Melon said.

"I love the cold!" Isabelle declared.

"She loves the cold" Noelle confirmed.

"Of course she does..." Walker said.

He opened the door leaving it open to his party.

"Ouch!" Peach Basket exclaimed as her forehead hit the top wood above the door.

"I told you to get off of me, you have only yourself to blame" Walker said.

"Curse of wanting to have fun with pack leader~" Peach Basket said as she rubbed her sore forehead.

Eventually she climbed down Walker.

"Finally...Blank!" Walker called out.

"C-coming dood!" Blank was heard shouting.

The door leading to the L hallway opened, and out came Blank looking somewhat muddied, but otherwise the same.

"New orders for tomorrow, just so these guys can stop bitching at me" Walker said.

"Sir, yes sir-dood" Blank said.

"Remodel the entire outside. Sand off any splintering wood, coat the outside in wood polish, mow the lawn, those are your main objectives. Once you're done clean the rest of the inside-oh, and we have new members." Walker said.

"She's Isabelle!" Noelle introduced hugging Isabelle.

"She's Noelle!" Isabelle introduced hugging Noelle back.

"It's Schrodinger, and make sure when you clean my room that you don's use the same materials that touched the archer's crap" Schrodinger said.

"And that goes double for me!" Kimberly stated.

"G-got it dood" Blank assured.

"Go prepare dinner now" Walker said.

"Yes sir-dood" Blank obeyed.

They entered the dining room, well lit, glowing a bright yellow welcoming the less than sane party of demons.

"Hm~ we're gonna run out of seating space soon" Walker said.

"The table can seat at most twenty two, so we have at least past the halfway point" Elfie stated.

Walker sat at the back of the table closest to the door, to his left side sat Aegis, Limbo just hovering over the seat, Lloyd, Milky, Kimberly, and Misha. Sitting to his right were Berry Melon, Noelle, Isabelle, Sasha, Peach Basket, Schrodinger, and Firefly. Elfie, and Blank left for the kitchen to prepare the meal.

"Now we can argue with the comfort of a good seat, and a hot meal" Sasha said.

"More like a riot if you ask me, too many people wanting to have their say...although Firefly, and Limbo don't seem to be adding much to our discussions lately" Walker said.

"Was that wrong! I'm trying to say something, but I don't know what to say!" Firefly said.

"I'm good, still not exactly a happy volunteer like Misha is though" Limbo said.

"Mew!" Misha proclaimed

Translation: (You can't even see my mouth, how would you know what I'm feeling?)

"Sometimes I wish I understood what you keep saying Misha" Firefly said.

"I read somewhere in making a stable working environment that it helps to congratulate the best employees of the day." Walker said.

"No need to thank me for all my hard work" Sasha said.

"When I saw you, you were sleeping in the middle of a fight! I was gonna congratulate Firefly's team for actually making the most out of all of us!" Walker declared.

"E-eh~!" Firefly declared.

"Cursed many demons! Gonna see result tomorrow!" Peach Basket declared.

"I gave a rigorous sermon about corruption, power, and the terrible pains of being at the top of the pyramid" Lloyd dully said.

"I don't really care what you guys said, but it worked, you got your pay, and more, even more than what Aegis got from both the fight, and our client's pay" Walker said.

"...I hate losing..." Aegis said glaring at Firefly.

"Loser, loser, loser!" Peach Basket chanted, as she stood up on her seat, and started stomping on it in some odd dance.

"Gloat, we'll let you for now, speaking of which...Schrodinger when are you gonna pay us?" Walker said.

"When you've got me a babe to hang out with me of course!" Schrodinger declared.

"...Me no pack leader!" Peach Basket declared.

"I was gonna make a toast, but we don't even have enough Sarsaparilla to go around" Walker said.

"I saw your secret barrel stash...there must be over five gallons in that sucker" Milky said.

"Yup, not enough" Walker said.

"Well unlike some greedy leaders who shall remain nameless" Kimberly began.

"In here that's a compliment" Walker said.

"But I always save enough tea for when the celebration fits, I'll just go prepare some for you all" Kimberly said.

"I don't think people regularly toast with tea, but I guess stupid archers are the exception" Schrodinger said.

"I think it's a neat idea!" Milky defended.

"It's nice to see some class here for once, if a Thief is more well mannered than a Ranger than you lot really are the bottom of the class chain" Kimberly said before heading towards the kitchen.

"Schrodinger, you may be a client, but I won't allow any fist fights breaking out between you two, it's expensive, and Elfie is not an unlimited supply of magic spit" Walker said.

"Only if she can keep her cool, but I won't stand by, and let myself be beaten up, I'll have to fight back in my defense" Schrodinger said.

"I'm Isabelle!" Isabelle reminded.

"She's Isabelle!" Noelle confirmed.

"Stop acting so damn childish, and talk to me face to face, or any man for that matter!" Walker said.

"Well I-*mumble*-is stupid...so I don't-*mumble*" Schrodinger spoke softly.

"Looks like you're not the only one with issues Firefly...and everyone else" Walker said.

"I'm normal" Aegis said.

"Spoken like a true galoot" Sasha said.

"I'll skewer you" Aegis threatened.

"Food is here!" Elfie called out bringing everyone what appeared to be a large place of thick sliced slabs of grilled meat causing Peach Basket to salivate uncontrollably. Blank was carrying side dishes of several soft drinks, juices, and liquids of all kinds. Kimberly came out moments later carrying her own personal silver platter containing stacked tea cups, and a large pot of tea.

"This pot contains the tea called the 'Queen's Diamond Jubilee', and you'll find it to be a perfect blend with celebrations, and victories" Kimberly explained

"God bless the queen" Elfie said.

"Ugh! Don't make me throw up in my mouth just as I'm eating" Walker said.

"Are you sure you want to waste so much tea on us? Will you have enough to keep yourself satisfied?" Milky asked.

"I have plenty of tea to keep me occupied until I find another delivery person, or until we go on one of those expeditions Walker has promised" Kimberly said.

"I promised nothing, but those times will come" Walker said.

"Also it's not so bad having others join me in these get togethers. I've never had someone to share my joy of tea so I'm very ecstatic about the whole concept. As long as you finish your drinks it's not really wasteful, and they will always grow more" Kimberly said.

"Can't really understand such a foolish thought, I can't believe you'd think I wouldn't waste this stuff" Walker muttered.

"Oh? Is it really? as I recalled, whenever I've served you tea you would always finish it. Don't think I haven't noticed" Kimberly said.

"I wasn't paying attention" Walker excused.

"I was actually taken aback, you were also usually the first of your group to finish your tea as well, I had almost thought at times that I had found a second lover of tea" Kimberly said.

"Eat your food" Walker practically ordered.

"He did again! He did it again!" Berry Melon rated out.

"Eat!" Walker cried out.

"You know what we should do? We should advertise our guild to other Netherworlds" Sasha said.

"We haven't even conquered this one!" Walker said.

"True...how about this then, we recruit demons from other Netherworlds." Sasha reiterated.

"A sound plan, having different Netherworld demons assist us could come in handy, and keep the enemy guessing" Aegis said.

"I mean we have the public dimensional gate. We could buy tickets, and start scouting" Sasha said.

"It also sounds like a waste of HL, tickets don't come cheap" Walker said.

"It's only a waste if we fail to recruit, and anyone we do will be able to pay back that lost HL, and more" Sasha said.

"Hey maybe I can find my old friends at Evil Academy!" Berry Melon said.

"Let's do it Walker! This is a gamble worth gambling. Stakes are high the prize is higher, this is a moment that won't happen again" Sasha said.

"Just because you're stoked about this, doesn't mean it's a good idea" Walker said.

"Just humor me for a second then, how about we buy our stuff, and then if we have left over we head on over to two, just two Netherworlds" Sasha said.

"You drive a hard bargain there, as always. *Sigh*let's see where the road takes us then" Walker said.

"Alright! I'm gonna hustle me up some foreign demons out of their HL!" Sasha said.

"I knew there was another reason why you suddenly decided to go to different Netherworlds!" Walker said.

"Did I say that out loud?" Sasha innocently asked

"Are we ever gonna catch a break?" Milky asked.

"We have been pretty busy lately, I hope when we do take time off, it'll be worth it" Elfie said.

"We should build an extension to this place to relax, and play" Berry Melon said.

"Badminton!" Noelle said.

"Tennis!" Isabelle said.

"Yes exactly! Something to do other than wait" Berry Melon said.

"I would prefer a back porch with a comfy seat with a cute little table to place my tea in" Kimberly said.

"You should have a pool...you know for swimming exercises" Schrodinger said with a leery smile.

"If I said it once, I've said it a thousand times, I'm not made of HL here!" Walker said.

"Besides I won't be able to do any of that stuff" Limbo said.

Peach Basket was unable to comment as she was too busy eating half her weight in meat.

"Looking at all of this food has me wondering, how are we with groceries?" Walker asked.

"Running low-dood!" Blank reported.

"And we can't send Blank grocery shopping alone either, he'll get tossed for sure without an owner with him at all times" Firefly said.

"Damn, you're right...we'll split up then, some of us go with Blank, the rest will buy the armor, and weapons" Walker said.

"I thought with so many of us together now, it would be less work, but we're still kept busy all the time" Milky said.

"Once we make a name for ourselves, it'll be nothing, but smooth sailing" Walker assured.

"Oh yeah, demons will remember the Gunner who fought an Overlord with a water pistol...and lost spectacularly" Sasha mocked.

"Shut up, it won't get to that." Walker said.

"What if it does?" Berry Melon asked with the curiosity of a child

"Then we're royally screwed" Walker said.

"Great plan, it's almost crazy enough to work" Milky sarcastically replied.

"All things must come to an end I suppose" Lloyd said.

"I'm done eating here, anyone else?" Elfie asked.

"I am entirely full, I can't eat another bite" Kimberly assured.

"You're just saying that, you famished for more fatty" Schrodinger said.

"Oho, I see someone can't take their eyes off me, that is to be expected. Even those who despise our kind can't seem to stop themselves from being charmed by our beauty" Kimberly said.

"Peach Basket...so happy, gonna need big curse to fix that!" Peach Basket exclaimed in bliss.

"Yum, yum!" Noelle, and Isabelle proclaimed.

"It's almost as good as sweets...almost" Berry Melon said.

"Just seeing you guys enjoy your meals was enough to feed me" Limbo said.

"A fitting meal, I can almost burst out of my armor...if it wasn't so extraordinarily impressive" Aegis said.

"This meal was extremely delicious, my compliments to the chef...oh wait it was me, I'm so silly" Elfie said.

"But I was the one who cooked most of it dood!" Blank argued.

"It was exquisite, I can't help thinking you were cooking it to suit my tastes" Schrodinger said.

"Don't horses were beggars...oh how did that saying work again Walker?" Kimberly asked.

"If wishes were horses, beggars would ride?" Walker asked.

"That's it! What he stated" Kimberly said.

"Purr~" Misha said.

Translation: (I suppose it's not the high grade steak I was expecting, but it had to do for now)

"If I have to spend some HL just for you to make your meals then it's worth it" Walker said.

"So glad our bodies don't gain, or lose weight no matter how much we eat" Sasha said.

"Unable to do something about it...it is very unsettling indeed" Lloyd said.

"I'm gonna rest my head, anyone else who wants to too go right ahead. As for the rest, don't wake me up" Walker said as he stood up.

"We are feeling-" Noelle started

"Sleepy...where do we sleep?" Isabelle asked.

"Well show you to your rooms" Walker said.

"Rooms! No, I want to sleep with Isabelle!" Noelle said.

"And I want to sleep with Noelle!" Isabelle said.

"That saves me room so I won't argue, we'll show you two to your room" Walker said.

"If that's the case, then I wouldn't mind sharing a room with any of you lovely ladies" Schrodinger said.

"You're really something Walker-" Noelle said.

"We've never memorized a demon's name we haven't even played with!" Isabelle finished.

"Just doing whatever it takes" Walker answered.

"Hey we're pretty impressive too" Sasha said.

"Yes, who else can spit at other people, and not get yelled at?" Elfie said.

"That's not really something to be proud of" Limbo said.

"I'm pretty proud of it" Elfie said.

"What about the healing aspect?" Aegis asked.

"Any Healer can do that, only someone different can be proud of the freedom to not piss demons off by performing one of the most disgracing act on someone" Elfie said.

They left the dining room, leaving quite a mess for Blank to clean up, and headed to the L hallway containing the several bedrooms.

"Looks like with this we'll be occupying half of the rooms" Walker said.

"That's half more we should occupy soon" Kimberly said.

"Which is why our field trip must work" Sasha said.

"Let's just see how much we'll have left after food, armor, and guns" Walker said.

"Where do we sleep-" Noelle said.

"We can't hold each other up forever" Isabelle said.

"Just pick out a room that hasn't already been taken" Walker said.

"Guess we'll have to make it obvious which ones are then?" Milky said.

"There's some rooms in the back row are mostly empty, I suggest you take those" Kimberly advised.

"On room next to mine, and the door opposite of mine are empty I think" Walker said.

"Well take it!" Noelle, and Isabelle proclaimed together.

"Which one, you know what never mind I'm gonna hit the sack" Walker said.

"I'm gonna...just practice my tree climbing..." Milky said.

"Just be ready to wake up in the morning, or else we'll do to you whatever it is we end up doing to Berry Melon" Walker said.

"Wouldn't want that" Milky said as she opened the front doors, and jumped out of sight.

"I'm shall be enjoying the stars, and moon tonight as well, my midnight tea has yet to be used to it's full potential" Kimberly said.

"Suit yourself, anyone else?" Walker asked.

"I don't really need sleep, I just hover around, go through walls, and stuff...maybe stalk people" Limbo said.

"Just stay out of earshot, and make sure you don't wake in the process, then you can do whatever you want." Walker said.

"If I'm not getting some, then I might as well sleep" Schrodinger muttered as he walked towards an empty room.

"I shall stand guard in my room for a few hours more, I chose my room specifically for the window itself. It provides an adequate visual of most of the woods as well as the trail" Aegis said.

"I don't know about you, but I'm exhausted after all that fighting I've done" Sasha said.

"You were asleep, and I know you're really just lying. I've seen you stay up late before to come up with stupid antics" Walker said.

"Can't keep your eyes off me?" Sasha said.

"Do whatever the hell you want" Walker grunted as he left for his room.

"Peach Basket has one curse left in her...then sleep" Peach Basket assured.

"Good cursing" Elfie softly cheered.

"Ooah~" Peach Basket moaned weakly as she grew more exhausted.

"I suppose there's nothing left for me to do, except cry myself to sleep" Lloyd muttered.

"I-I should sleep too then...carefully" Firefly said.

"No one else in need of my help? Another job well done then" Elfie said.

"Meow!" Misha said.

Translation: (Hah! Sleep, if I wasn't given visions by the dark one, I would have stayed all night to kill you in your sleep)

"So many dishes dood!" Blank was heard shouting

With that, everyone retreated to either their rooms, or wherever else they need to get to before resting. Most of the lights in the building now off, with the only lights coming inside were form the kitchen while the outside was glowing a light blue in the open, while most of the forest was shrouded in darkness from the thick leaves on the trees. Kimberly stood outside the front door admiring the sky view hours after everyone was already sleeping. Limbo was hovering along the hallway thinking of any new tactics to scare bystanders when he suddenly spotted someone leaving their room. He zipped through a wall, and poked his head through it just enough to see that it was Berry Melon tip-toeing out of her room, and into another.

"(Isn't that Walker's room?...Oh well it's not my problem.)" Limbo said, then continued hovering around.

Kimberly had also felt that it was time to rest when she saw Milky approaching her with a sack on her right shoulder.

"How did you enjoy your trip?" Kimberly asked nonchalantly

"Not bad, got a few nifty nick-knacks, but nothing valuable." Milky said.

"Well dust your...slippers before you come inside" Kimberly said.

"Just a sec, I got something for you" Milky said.

"I'm not entirely interested in cheap commodities" Kimberly responded.

"Just check it out!" Milky said as she plopped the sack on the ground, and rummaged through it.

"Oh, very well" Kimberly said.

Milky pulled out a object that almost glowed from hitting the moonlight.

"What is that?" Kimberly asked.

"Have you been living under a rock? It's a coffee mug! Made entirely out of turquoise" Milky said bringing the mug closer to Kimberly.

"Coffee mug? It looks like a poor attempt at making a tea cup, was the designer blind?" Kimberly said.

"You don't drink tea in this, you drink coffee, but it sort of looks like a tea cup if you tilt your head a bit...I thought you'd like it" Milky said extending her arms forward so Kimberly can grab it.

Kimberly took hold of the mug to better inspect it, the turquoise it was made of looked recently polished, and it was smooth to the touch. Not something she would be seen in public with, but perhaps there was still some use for it.

"It's...pretty" Kimberly said, unsure of anything else to say.

"I knew you would like it! I also 'found' an hourglass, some clackers, and a whole lot of stuff!" Milky excitedly said.

"I appreciate the gesture...here, I usually keep an extra tea cup in case of an emergency, but how would you like to join me for the last tea of the night?" Kimberly said.

"O-okay!" Milky said.

Both girls leaned against the wooden wall of the building silently enjoying their warm tea, even enjoying one another's company. Eventually both girls had emptied their cups, longer than expected due to idle chit-chat, and were entering the building to retreat to their rooms.

"Um...here's your mug I gave you back, I swiped it when you weren't looking, couldn't help myself" Milky awkwardly said

"*Sigh* so long as you gave it back Milky we can do this again someday..." Kimberly said having second thoughts about having a Thief as a gal pal.

_End of Chapter_

_No requested characters have been introduced yet, but if it makes anyone feel better, I have already given the requested characters their random names, which means they will eventually make an appearance. I wouldn't want them to miss out on the hilarity that will come soon. Thanks again for the reviews, support, for reading this far, and for your patience._


	14. Chapter 14

_Chapter 14: Shopping Spree_

_I just love the element Argon, ever since I was little, too bad it's been overshadowed..._

_Sasha: Ah, gold, goldy gold how you twinkle in my eye, how you bring me joy, I love you~_

_That doesn't help things either...Enjoy!_

Morning: Guild Quarters

"Sasha!" Walker cried out furiously.

Sasha darted out of the room while Walker struggle to put on his clothes with a fist full of golden syrup in his left hand as well as with his face. Eventually he succeeded though his pants, and hat were now sticky, and gave chase while everyone else suddenly woken up, and wearily got dressed, cleaned, and ready.

"Damn it! Where are you, this isn't funny Sasha!" Walker roared as he ended up in the lobby, but unsure of whether to check the hall, or outside. He heard one of the bedroom doors opening, and quickly turned around, only to see a weary looking Elfie.

"Hey, did you see a wild Gunslinger in need of a beating?" Walker angrily demanded to know.

Elfie wearily shook her head, and walked towards him, Walker seeing her as no threat did not flinch. Once she got close enough she stroked Walker's left cheek with her right pointer finger, staining her delicate finger with the golden syrup still stuck on his face, then gave it a little lick.

"...Honey..." Elfie realized.

"I noticed" Walker grumbled.

"Not acid...I'm gonna get ready-*yawn*" Elfie muttered as she returned to her room.

"Yeah you do that..." Walker said.

Realizing that he will have a hard time tracking down Sasha with a face full of honey, and punching someone with honey in your hand is just embarrassing, so he too retreated to his room to wash. Unknowingly following Walker's example, the rest of the guild washed themselves clean, not for any thing such resembling delinquency, but because no one will hire a smelly demon...yeah that's it. Feeling refreshed, and hygienically approved for social interaction, the guild members walked out of their rooms. All except Berry Melon who once again refuses to wake herself up, finding herself too comfortable in Walker's bed despite all that has happened.

"Morning Noelle!" Isabelle greeted.

"Morning Isabelle!" Noelle greeted.

"Where do you mages get your energy?" Aegis wondered.

"From my sister!" The twins replied.

"Maybe you can share some of that to wake up one of our own? Berry Melon it seems, has once again refused to wake up, and I would rather not be ordered by Walker ahead of time to do so...it normally does not end well" Kimberly said.

"We can do that-" Noelle began

"No problem!" Isabelle assured.

"Walker there you are, as you can see we have two volunteers to wake your sister up, so there's no need to send someone else" Kimberly said.

"She's you're sister-" Isabelle began

"But you two don't even look alike!" Noelle noticed.

"*Sigh* well she reincarnated to a Mage, but even then I was still a boy, and she was a girl. Besides it doesn't always have to be look alikes to be relatives" Walker educated.

"Funny, usually I'm the one to lecture, but it's nice to see even the slowest can learn" Elfie said.

"Look, I just want a really good breakfast to make up for the crappy morning I'm having, can we just go to the hall, and eat." Walker said.

"Finally cooled off?" Sasha said as she exited her room.

"I knew I should have looked outside, I'm surprised your overinflated chest could fit through the window" Walker grumbled.

"If you had babies like these for as long as time as I have, you tend to learn a few tricks." Sasha hinted.

"...You didn't shoot any holes in the wall did you?" Walker accused.

"Wha~t? Why would you accuse me of doing something like that?" Sasha asked.

"The gunshots I heard when I was showering" Walker said.

Most of the guild nodded at this.

"So you two are going to wake Berry Melon? Well good luck with that" Sasha said quickly changing the topic, then retreating towards the hall to wait for everyone there.

"You'll find her in my room...don't ask me why, she's a weird sleepwalker" Walker explained before heading towards the dining hall himself.

"E~h?" Noelle, and Isabelle moaned together.

"Don't ask questions, just do what you volunteered" Walker said.

"Gotcha-" Noelle said.

"-We won't let you down!" Isabelle said.

"Oh I'm sure there's gonna be something that will disappoint me" Walker muttered as he left.

"We have to do our best Isabelle!" Noelle said.

"We can't fail Noelle!" Isabelle agreed.

"Let's go!" Both girls said, soon skipping towards Walker's room.

"Today is gonna be very interesting" Milky said.

"Nope it's gonna end just any other day, with us tired, and sleepy" Walker said.

"Come on Walker, I bet you'll find some joy today" Milky said.

"Don't force someone to cheer up, you'll only bring them closer to depression" Lloyd grumbled.

"Well I am looking forward to the new gear we earned" Walker admitted.

"There you go, and I'm looking forward towards my new therapy office" Elfie said.

"That one is still under debate, I mean what will you do?" Walker said.

"Well...I could post an advertisement on the town bulletin board, and see what happens?" Elfie said.

"Perhaps this conversation should be saved for when we reach the dining hall?" Aegis said.

"Meow~" Misha replied.

Translation: (I wish to discuss the use of sacrifice as an offering for the 'Darkest One'

"We'll feed you your breakfast in a moment Misha" Kimberly assured.

"So~ did any of my pick up lines have any effect on you girls now?" Schrodinger asked.

"Curse of short memory, don't remember" Peach Basket assured.

"Well I told you-" Schrodinger was saying.

"Also cursed with not caring" Peach Basket cheerfully reported.

They entered the dining hall where Blank after a quick rest had already began heating the stoves to prepare the meals. Elfie still wanting to discuss her own needs reluctantly went to the kitchen to help prepare.

"I don't believe I have been used to my fullest potential" Limbo started things off.

"Well you don't really have a weapon, just a rag shirt...that's why giving you something that will bring your stats up is the first step to making others fear you" Walker said.

"Is there any place here that will not hurt my eyes when I drink my tea?" Kimberly asked.

"I have already ordered our Prinny to remodel the place while we're out" Walker said feeling a little irritated by Kimberly's comment.

"I wish to advertise my cake shop to this location to start bringing customers" Aegis said.

"We still need your help to fight, let's keep recruiting, and then we'll see to your store, besides we don't have a lot of ingredients for cakes, and such." Walker said.

"Introduce me to more girls" Schrodinger asked

"Pack Leader not me! Pack leader there!" Peach Basket pointed.

"These are all the girls I know, and they're hired to work for me, we'll help you out along the way" Walker said.

Give me some HL" Sasha asked flat out.

"Go to Hades" Walker told off.

"I still get the distinct feeling you think I'm a boy" Milky said.

"*Sigh* fine, if I say you're a girl will you quit complaining?" Walker said.

"You don't even mean that!" Milky argued.

"You're asking for too much if you want me to mean it, next" Walker said.

"Give me some HL" Sasha asked again.

"I thought I already gave you an answer?" Walker said.

"Anything to make the pain go away?" Lloyd asked.

"Painkillers are a myth in the Netherworld" Walker said.

The double doors burst open, revealing Noelle, Isabelle, and a soaked Berry Melon with a spot of shampoo bubbles on the side of her hair.

"Well this one's new, what did you do?" Walker curiously asked.

"She didn't wake up so-" Noelle began

"We pretended she did, and got her ready ourselves, but it wasn't-" Isabelle added.

"Until after we brushed her teeth, then gave her a bath that she eventually woke up-" Noelle continued.

"-We did the best we could through her struggling, and squirming, I mean what was there to be embarrassed about?" Isabelle concluded.

"We have the same bodies!" Noelle, and Isabelle both proclaimed.

"Y-you still b-broke my personal b-bubble...and you used c-cold water~" Berry Melon shivered.

"It was Isabelle's idea" Noelle the Green Mage rated out.

"I thought cold water worked the best on all mages" Isabelle the Blue Mage said.

"It doesn't..." Lloyd said.

"Y-you could have at least l-let me f-finish drying o-off" Berry Melon said.

"We were doing that, but you wouldn't let us" Noelle, and Isabelle said.

"A group hug d-doesn't c-count" Berry Melon stated

"But we do it all the time, and-" Noelle began

"We always come back dry" Isabelle finished.

"Will you be recruiting a red, and green skull to match Lloyd?" Kimberly asked changing a topic she was losing interest in, rather quickly.

"If they come, and prove themselves useful, I'll consider it" Walker said.

"Do you have any friends like that?" Berry Melon asked as she took a seat at the table.

"Friends~...what is friends..." Lloyd answered.

"Great you're useless in this category, moving on-" Walker was saying.

"Breakfast is ready~" Elfie called out as she brought out a large platter of several stacked pancakes, french toast, and waffles while Blank was carrying a large side dish of bacon.

"Gee I wonder what inspired her to make such a 'sweet' breakfast" Sasha said rather loudly.

Walker grumbled, but chose not to comment.

"I take it, it had something to do with the noise that woke us up several minutes too early?" Aegis said.

"Hey can somebody pass the honey for my pancakes, I just love putting honey on my pancakes" Sasha said.

"Sneaking up on someone while they're asleep is lower than a snake's belly" Walker said.

"It ain't when you do it to a leader, then you're considered exceptional for trumping him" Sasha said.

"There is no good way to retaliate to that" Walker muttered then took a big bite of bacon strips.

"You know, all the food you guys keep showing in front of me, kind of makes me want to reincarnate into something that can digest this" Limbo said.

"I'll take that as a compliment" Elfie said.

"It really is more of a hassle than you think, you have to keep eating, or else you'll get that horrible feeling of starving. We eat two big meals a day, but will an afternoon snack hurt?" Milky said.

"Noted" Walker said.

"Great! Where are the snacks you guys are obviously hiding from me!" Berry Melon cried out.

"We have no snacks to hide from you" Aegis said.

"I'll find it eventually~" Berry Melon sang while looking at Peach Basket.

"Ooah?" Peach Basket responded with a mouth full of french toast.

Aegis mumbled incoherently for a moment, stood up, and headed towards the kitchen.

"Peach Basket held back! New pack mates! Have to make more, want to bring it all at once!" Peach Basket spoke out.

"Ugh! Close your mouth when you are consuming" Kimberly said.

"Who cares, take that stick out your ass already" Schrodinger said.

"Your mouth should be closed indefinitely!" Kimberly declared.

"Pass the milk Isabelle!" Noelle asked.

Isabelle did so.

"Pass the syrup Noelle!" Isabelle asked.

"Blueberry syrup, here you go!" Noelle said.

"Walker, why aren't we like that?" Berry Melon asked.

"Because I'm a man?" Walker answered.

"That can be changed!" Berry Melon said.

"You'll have to take me kicking, and screaming" Walker announced.

"I was always considered to be a very efficient big sister when needed to" Elfie said.

"I'm starting to think, all you boasting, is just boasting. There is no positive evidence that Healers are trained to be such efficient care takers" Aegis said.

"Why would you say that?" Elfie asked.

"No competition, you can do what you want since there is no one to take your place. Competition, rivalry, they are the driving stone for all great associations, that is why I believe having the only guild in town will bring us farther away from legend status" Aegis explained.

"I say we're not ready" Walker said.

"You were ready the moment you created this Guild, it's time to put it to the test" Aegis said.

"Where would we start?" Walker demanded to know.

"There is always some club of demons grouping together, strength in numbers of course. They may not see themselves as a guild, but they are for hire, usually for combat. We find a group that closely resembles that, challenge them, win, and more fame for us" Aegis said.

"Exactly what I was thinking, but we got our hands full for today, let's just get it over with before we do any random combats" Walker said.

"Well I'm stuffed, let's get going, and work this food off" Sasha said.

"I'm done too, I'm guessing so is everyone else so let's get going" Walker said.

"More work to do, lame~" Berry Melon complained.

"Lame, lame!" Noelle, and Isabelle chanted.

"It will make our vacation day all the more worth it if I do say so myself" Kimberly assured.

"It still beats standing around doing nothing" Aegis said.

"New day, new curse! Curse~" Peach Basket assured.

"I haven't done any stealing in forever~" Milky said.

"You just plunder last night Milky" Kimberly reminded.

"I know~ forever!" Milky said.

"Hey Walker, bet ya 100 HL you're gonna yell at us on the way over there" Sasha said.

"Take that bet, and shove it" Walker grunted as he stood.

"Another excellent dinner Elfie, thank you" Elfie said.

"Stop praising yourself" Aegis said.

"I was getting tired of waiting for you guys to finish your food" Limbo muttered.

"I feel today I'm gonna score!" Schrodinger said.

"If wishes were hors-wait minute...I want him to leave. You better do you damn best today!" Walker said.

"I paid you, you're suppose to do my best for me" Schrodinger said.

"Y-you're not my job a-are you? Walker's over there" Firefly said.

"Leaving without you" Walker called out.

"*Sigh* here comes another miserable day" Lloyd mumbled.

"Take care of the house, remember a full remodeling!" Walker called out to Blank.

"G-got it dood!" Blank assured with little confidence.

The team left their plates to be handled by Blank, and left their headquarters to the dirt road which will take them back into town.

"Aren't you gonna miss your water gun Walker?" Sasha asked.

"Not in the slightest, first thing I'm gonna do is chuck it in storage" Walker said.

"You could also sell it for a pretty penny...or at least a penny" Sasha said.

"I wouldn't wish this thing on anyone, it's that bad" Walker said.

"What is your shop rank?" Aegis asked.

"Zero" Walker answered.

"That is a problem, but with all the weapons, and armor you'll be purchasing. You'll rank up no problem" Milky assured.

"Then I get new merchandise?" Walker said.

"Then you go to the senate building, and get approval to get new merchandise" Aegis corrected.

"What the hell, why?" Walker demanded.

"It's to keep a tab of demons that may become a threat, or so I heard. After all a demon with a high shop rank can purchase rare, and powerful weapons which he can use at his disposal, which he could use to have his say in much of the Netherworld. At first the senates will not care, but the higher, and more powerful you get, the feeling of a new possible world power could make them change their minds for future decisions." Elfie explained.

"Still doesn't make any sense...why would they allow demons to get high rankings if they can just nip them in the bud when they start out?" Walker asked.

"Don't give them any ideas" Elfie advised.

"Won't they refuse service to us...after the protest we sort of created" Lloyd wondered.

"You what?" Walker said.

"We shouted at everyone! Caused lot's of demons to yell! Cursed some!" Peach Basket explained.

"...Firefly translate" Walker said.

"W-we were actually successful in causing a large p-protest, which may, or may not have ended by now" Firefly said.

"They might have some clue as to who started the protest as well" Lloyd said.

"We were first to shout curses!" Peach Baskset said.

"Well that's just dandy" Elfie said.

"I wouldn't worry, I'm sure they have already forgotten all about it" Aegis said.

"Well we didn't see any of the senators coming out, but they could have also been watching from a window" Lloyd said.

"Then we better play it safe, and send someone else to suggest our plea" Kimberly said.

"Hm~ Kimberly, Elfie, and Sasha are pretty good with their blabber mouths, I suppose one of your three can appease to them" Walker said.

"And then some" Sasha assured.

"Should we bring a present?" Elfie said.

"What do we have to give them?" Limbo asked.

"I believe Milky has a few trinkets to donate" Kimberly said.

"Wha~t no way, I just stole those, can you at least wait until I'm bored with them?" Milky said.

"We have some leftover eggs, and dried worms, maybe they'll like that?" Walker assumed.

"Maybe we should just go empty handed..." Aegis figured.

"I'm not ready to say goodbye to my back scratcher wand just yet" Berry Melon said.

"A valid point, something like that can be very handy outside of combat" Elfie said.

"Our wands our already awesome!" Noelle, and Isabelle proclaimed, showing off their Glass  
>Staff.<p>

"Indeed that is actually fairly good, Walker I believe that is the best you can purchase under your ranking" Kimberly said.

"A staff with a glass ball on the tip? How is that helpful again? At least with Berry Melon's you can scratch someone with it when you swing it" Walker said.

"We don't really question their use, so long as they bring out stats up I see no reason to dwell any further" Aegis said.

"...I see..." Walker said

The conversation was paused hearing nothing, but the pitter patter of leaves falling, a soft wind rustling the tree leaves still on the branches, and the occasional sound of the market just a few yards away. At last though one of the team members spoke out.

"Meow, meow, mew, mew, meow!" Misha said.

Translation: (You lot have used up all your entertainment value, and will be disposed unless you contribute more)

"Is there anyway we can get her to talk like other Catsabers?" Berry Melon wonderd.

"We could teach her, but that's boring, and obivous, might I suggest reincarnation?" Elfie said.

"How will that help?" Walker asked.

"Meow?" Misha spoke out

Translation: (Why are you discussing such matter without my permission? I demand to be part of this conversation)

"Supposedly several monster who have reincarnated had miraculously learned the language of man, though a little rough, but still translatable." Elfie said.

"I'm not gonna waste the Mana, Misha can just keep talking like that, it doesn't bother anyone" Walker said.

"Meow, meow!" Misha said.

Translation: (Who are you to decide what I wish? You are not needed in my world, and I will see to it that you are the first to be executed)

At that point they had at last reached the town, though still populated, it seems as if most of the demons are still in their beds while the early risers are practically forcing themselves to move to wherever they needed to go.

"It's one in the afternoon, is everyone in town this lazy?" Walker asked himself.

"Why do you feel the need to wake up early?" Elfie asked.

"Partly because of where I lived. It's kind of a force of habit really, mornings were always a bit chilly, so we enjoyed the heck out of them until the blistering heat came" Walker explained.

"I just like pulling pranks when everyone's asleep" Sasha admitted.

"You're messed up in the head" Walker muttered as they headed for the first shop.

"Look there's the weapon shop, quit your arguing, and make yourselves seem important" Aegis scolded.

"You don't need to tell me that" Walker mumbled.

"You're short fuse says otherwise" Aegis reminded.

"I wouldn't have such a short fuse if everyone on my team hadn't snipped it piece by piece.

"Uh~ aren'tcha gunna order sumthing, or not?" The shopkeeper Houkuzzo asked.

"Did your accent get heavier over the past few days?" Walker asked.

"Har-har-har watcha buyin?" Houkuzzo asked.

"Give us two glass staffs to start with" Walker said.

"Oh~ big spender are ya?" Houkuzzo said.

"Shut up, and take my HL" Walker said.

"Thar ya go, don't be chukin them at folk now alright? No refunds" Houkuzzo said.

"You two heard that right?" Walker asked.

"Yes, right! No problem!" Berry Melon assured.

"Why bother? With my luck, and Peach Basket, I won't be surprised if it blows up in my face...*sob*" Lloyd said.

"Fancy team ya got there, hehehe" Houkuzzo said.

"We showed ourselves capable twice already, don't tell me you haven't heard" Walker said.

"Aye, just flapping my gums, didn't mean no foul on ya part" Houkuzzo said.

"...Are you a pirate?" Milky asked.

"I gut asked that question mure times than a millipede has legs. I sailed for a few years, but nothin stuck" Houkuzzo assured.

"Except for maybe your accent" Walker muttered.

"I heard that boy, ya want me to triple my prices?" Houkuzzo warned.

"No~ just give us three of those Defense Guns" Walker said.

"Right choice lad, and since it's now law, I'm sapossed ta give ya a bag of doggy biscuits fer each purchase" Houkuzzo said.

"It's law?" Walker said.

"Well, fer this town it is" Houkuzzo reiterated.

"Who would pass something like that as law?" Walker wondered.

Though he complained he still accepted the doggie treats.

"Wasn't there a Cu Sith that wanted dog treats free for every purchase at a store when we were protesting?" Firefly recalled.

"During our protest, I believe so, though I could be wrong" Lloyd said.

"You mean some of those stupid requests got passed!" Walker said losing a chunk of hope for the Netherworld.

"Aye, now we gotta do whut they say, dun't want ta lose my job here, or else it's manual labor fur me" Houkuzzo said.

"Alright fine, moving on. Can you get us three Wooden Bows?" Walker asked.

"Right away!" Houkuzzo assured while also giving them more useless doggy treats.

"Hey I actually understood that." Walker commented

"This bow's wood is a little rough, I could get a splinter" Kimberly said.

"Quit complaining, at least this bow can shoot well" Schrodinger scolded

"Well we used ta give you a free sander for that, but a couple a doggy treats culd help too" Houkuzzo said.

Elfie gently prodded Walker's spine with her new bow

"You're kidding right? You're absolutely freaking kidding me?" Walker said in disbelief.

Elfie puffed her cheeks angrily, and continued to prod Walker with her bow.

"*Sigh* stubborn as a mule...Shop keep introduced yourself to some of our new recruits" Walker practically demanded.

"Sure ah suppose...the name's Houkuzzo, weapun shop keep" Houkuzzo said.

"Even I am not creative enough to make this work, I'd much prefer the sanders" Elfie said.

"Now you're just askin fur too much" Houkuzzo said.

"Well what the hell are you gonna do with all the extra sanders then?" Walker asked.

"...My stand's made of wood" Houkuzzo answered.

"He makes a good point" Limbo said.

"Is thar somethin else ye need?" Houkuzzo said.

"Yeah we also need two Scout Spears" Walker said.

"O-course" Houkuzzo said.

"Ooah~ shiny, new pointy stick!" Peach Basket exclaimed.

"Adequate to say the most" Aegis muttered.

"With that ya just bought enough ta bring yur shop rank up" Houkuzzo declared.

"That would be good news if we didn't still have to go all the way to the senate building just to get permission to go up that rank" Walker said.

"Ah- so ya heard" Houkuzzo said.

"Yeah, I did, let's get this over with, give us a Hawk Claw for our Catsaber" Walker said.

"How is Misha gonna work a Hawk Claw?" Berry Melon asked.

"I don't know, why can't she just use a gun like a normal demon?" Walker asked.

"Look at yur gun...now look at it's paws...there ya go" Houkuzzo said handing a Hawk Claw over, with a side of doggy treats

"Hm~ better give me another one, for the Prinny" Walker said.

"Fine by me" Houkuzzo said handing Walker a second Hawk Claw, and another doggie treat bag.

"We also need a Cutlass for Firefly" Walker said.

"Oho! One of them Magic Knights? Ya lucky dog" Houkuzzo said.

"Only the best" Walker said rather proudly.

"Whatever..." Sasha mumbled.

"So Limbo you need...an Article 2: Diminish? What the hell?" Walker said.

"Fur reading purposes dimwit" Houkuzzo reminded.

"How-why would you bring reading junk to a fight?" Walker asked.

"I find the columns interesting, therefore I get a boost out of that" Limbo explained.

"Now you're just spouting nonsense out of your ass!" Walker accused.

"...How is that possible?" Limbo asked looking down on his body, if it can be called that.

"You know what I mean!" Walker quickly said.

"It seems all of ya got what ya came her for" Houkuzzo said.

"What the hell are we gonna do with all these dog treats? They're taking up space" Walker said.

"Not my cuncnern, I made a killin here, but come agin" Houkuzzo said.

"Alright next stop's the armor shop over there" Walker said.

"You mean the one we passed for some reason?" Schrodinger said.

"Don't look at me, when you say that" Kimberly said.

"I wanted to buy the weapons first!" Walker argued.

"Hm~ who'd a thought there would be such a cutie running the store. Maybe I can charm her into giving us a discount" Schrodinger said.

"Oh man, this is gonna be hilarious" Walker said already knowing what's to come.

"Ooah~ Peach Basket knows charm! Peach Basket curse better!" Peach Basket assured.

"It's true she does know charm" Elfie defended.

"Yes, I saw it in her special skills list...you already have a lot of skills in your arsenal" Walker noticed.

"All the basics though...which also happen to be all the ones we can know" Elfie said.

"Peach Basket good curser!" Peach Basket boasted.

"That's not a word dear" Kimberly reminded.

"Ooah! Curser is word! Peach Basket used it!" Peach Basket defended.

"Just because you used it, doesn't make it a word Shaman on the other hand is a word that defines someone who curses" Kimberly lectured

"Peach Basket knows she Shaman, no need reminder!" Peach Basket assured.

"We're buying without you!" Walker called out as he, and the rest of the guild had already reached the shop.

"How infinitely rude to desert a lady!" Kimberly exclaimed as he ran towards them with Peach Basket following close behind.

"Excuse me, I just noticed you noticing me, and I just wanted to give notice that I noticed you too" Schrodinger began.

"Using the same word doesn't make it a rhyme, get out of my sight before I make you cry" the shopkeeper Pamela

"Sorry couldn't help it let's start over. My name is Schrodinger, and you must be gorgeous" Schrodinger continued.

"This isn't the time for flattery, I recommend purchasing, and receive a doggy treat for free" Pamela said.

"You're sexy when you rhyme" Schrodinger complimented

He was given a right straight on the nose, and was flung several feet.

"You didn't disappoint" Walker said chuckling a little in the process.

"It's been a while Gunner, have your days been any funner?" Pamela asked.

"As you can see by our new temp, it hasn't exactly been a joyride" Walker said.

"I could tell that your personality attracts a lot of attention, now how about purchasing as I had previously mentioned?" Pamela said.

"Yes of course, okay so who has the best equipment we could buy?" Walker asked.

"Me!" Berry Melon said.

"I have two" Aegis said.

"Us too!" Noelle, and Isabelle proclaimed.

"I'm naked" Elfie said.

"No you're not" Walker said.

"I meant armor wise" Elfie said.

"I'm already equipped with a Sash thank you." Kimberly said.

"So we're gonna need about, 1, 2, 3...11 Sashes" Walker said.

"Oh happy day today, I'm glad I decided to do this instead of that cosplay cafe" Pamela said.

"...You do have 11 Evilection Sashes do you?" Walker asked.

"From last year's Evilection of course, the recycling bin was the source" Pamela said.

"One more question, before I talk to the crazy. Our base of operations needs a lot of work, remodeling, extensions, and that sort. I've heard Overlords would have their own private shop to buy their goods, how can I get in on some of that action?" Walker asked.

"Well for starters you would have to contact someone who specializes on home extensions, but I wouldn't worry, they too are part of Rosen Queen, the greatest industry in Netherworld creation. You ask them to have a shop extension for your home, even if you live on an apartment, castle, or underwater bio dome.

"There's an underwater bio dome with a Rosen Queen shop?" Walker asked.

"That's not important, but what is important is that while building the extension would cost a lot of HL, the shop owners stay for free, you pay them by buying their stock, and if you do as is well." Pamela explained.

"We were just talking about adding some new joints to the place, I guess it sounds pretty easy" Walker said.

"We should take care of that another time though, We can't linger here." Aegis said.

"He is correct, the public Dimensional Gate closes earlier than most shops, so we must hurry if we want to make the trip" Kimberly said.

"Well thanks for the tip Pamela, and hope you take care of that rhyming issue soon" Walker said.

"If you weren't so good for business I would smack you, but I'll settle for a farewell to you too" Pamela said.

"See ya" Walker muttered as he prepared his mentality, and patience for the next shop to come.

"Alright! Time for round two!" Berry Melon said.

"No" Walker refused outright.

"No fun anymore-" Noelle began.

"Walker be cool again" Isabelle finished.

"I wasn't train to endure this without some sort aspirin" Walker said

"Walker~" Berry Melon, Noelle, and Isabelle pleaded.

"I'm just gonna wait this one out, do whatever you want, just get some snacks, and see if he can hook us up with some groceries, take the HL" Walker said handing Aegis the bag of spending HL.

"Are you sure that's wise?" Elfie asked.

"Yes, he may be crazy, but his job depends on him not poisoning us" Walker said.

"We'll be back as quick as we can" Milky assured.

"Is there something wrong with me?" Lawrence muttered deeply, and close behind them.

"G-geez! Don't do that!" Sasha bellowed.

"You conspiring against we aren't you? Conspirators!" Lawrence acused.

"Oh please, like you haven't heard that before" Kimberly said.

"...Oh yeah kehehehe~" Lawrence cackled.

"Well go, and put yourself behind that counter so we can make some business" Aegis said.

"Yes of course, you want some of 'that', with a side order of 'this'-kehehe~" Lawrence said.

"Can you just not be a major creep for this one moment?" Sasha said.

"W-who are you!" Lloyd exclaimed, never seeing a Gunslinger Class. "Who are you!" Lawrence repeated, never seeing Ranger Class before.

"Ha! Who's the weird ones now!" Berry Melon declared.

"I shall not be denied! I shall not surrender my throne so easily!" Lawrence said.

"Meow, meow, mew!" Misha said

Translation: (You're throne jester is below mine, now dance my puppet, dance)

"You mean that stand of yours, I suppose it is fitting for someone like you" Kimberly said.

"I see them watching you, they have eyes, looking at your every move. They want you" Lawrence warned.

"Imaginary friends don't count" Limbo said.

A roof on the right side of the street

"I told you to mask your aura more precisely-zam! Everyone knows crazy people can see invisible ninjas-zam!" The Genin Class scolded.

"Sorry brother, but I didn't think he was that crazy. I'll try harder next time" the Hanakage Class apologized.

"*sigh* sister-zam" the Genin sighed.

"Nin-nin~" the Hanakage groaned.

Back to Lawrence's shop

"You poor, crazy people, and your imaginary friends, I remember a time I wish I had friends, even imaginary...*sigh*" Lloyd said.

"Peach Basket not curse you with curse hallucination. Who cursed you?" Peach Basket asked.

"hallucinating? Crazy? I was cursed with sanity! You became crazy the minute you started doing the same things over, and over again! I do things differently all the time, I sell different items all the time! If I'm crazy, then let the overlords come, and strike me where I stand-muahahaha-ahahaha!" Lawrence shouted.

Everyone waited for several seconds, but nothing happened.

"So!" Lawrence began, then he rushed towards his stand, jumped over the counter, and stood behind it eagerly. "What can I help you with-kehe~" Lawrence said.

"We will be going on a trip to several Netherworlds, and require something to keep us satisfied" Aegis said.

"You're just in time then! I have new merchandise even you people can afford, but you can thank an associate of mine for that, he lives mostly on the Item World, but he's a reliable guy, not so much with defusing bombs, or prank calling though" Lawrence said.

"And that is?" Milky said.

"Well for starters I have ABC Gum, Mint Gum, Soda, Fairy Dust, Sardines, Caterpillar Eggs, and now, Pizza, and Ramen-that's right-kehe~" Lawrence explained.

"Quite a selection" Sasha said.

Lawrence cackled loudly.

"Just give us a bit of each then, oh, and some stealing gloves too! Walker can I get some stealing gloves?" Milky called out.

"Fine whatever, just hurry up!" Walker called back.

"Great hook me up then" Milky said.

"Who told you I had fishing hooks? They're mine, they're not for sale!" Lawrence said.

"I really hope you just use them to fish..." Sasha said.

"I have procured your nourishment in this bag, and here in this second bag are all the dog treats as extra, *hmph* allow free dog treats with the purchase of any item, but they wouldn't pass my idea for free pet clearance for exotic animals." Lawrence said.

"Right...well we better get going, we have to find a shop here that sells groceries" Elfie said.

"Wait! Groceries, I can supply!" Lawrence quickly said.

"Uh, thanks, but we mean actual food, not worms, and candy" Sasha said.

"You mean meat, spices, fruits, veggies, dairy, wheat, I know, I know, I know! I have close ties with farmer's markets, they give me discounts if I promise not to stand near them longer than a few minutes" Lawrence said.

"That makes sense" Limbo said.

"Give me a set amount, and I shall not only purchase your beloved groceries to your liking, but also deliver them to your abode, no charge necessary, you already gave me what I want" Lawrence assured.

"Our HL right?" Aegis asked.

"No, but good guess, so what do you say about my plan?-kehehe" Lawrence

"I don't think I'll be comfortable if you knew where we lived" Kimberly said.

"If it makes you feel any better, I already know where you live-kehaha~" Lawrence said.

"Fine we have deal it'll make our lives easier, just remember, if you cross us. I'll break your spine, bone, by bone, and slowly" Aegis warned.

Lawrence cackled wildly, excited at the thought.

"I take it you agree then" Aegis said

"Yes, of course, I'll do it!" Lawrence excitedly proclaimed.

Aegis handed Lawrence a considerate amount of HL within a small sack.

"Tell you're leader I'll have his antidote ready soon" Lawrence said.

"So long to you too" Sasha said.

The guild leave the shopkeeper to tend to himself, and return to Walker.

"So how did it go?" Walker asked.

"Cursed! Antidote almost ready!" Peach Basket poorly explained.

"I'm guessing that translates to bad" Walker said.

"It's just pretend don't mind her, or Lawrence, everything has been taken care of" Elfie assured.

"I'm gonna go with yes it does translate to bad" Walker replied.

"All you need to concern yourself with now, is to head off to the Public Dimensional Gates, they'll be taking in last minute passengers soon" Kimberly said.

"Better hurry then" Walker said.

"How much do we have to spend?" Sasha asked.

"Enough for two tickets, and a little spending money for the shops on their Netherworlds" Walker said.

"So we're splitting into two squads, who's going with who?" Aegis asked.

"I'll lead one team, and..." Walker said looking around at his guild.

Sasha had her hand raised as high as she could, jumping back, and forth. Peach Basket was doing the same, but solely because she thought she was in the middle of a group curse incantation. Misha, Noelle, Isabelle, and Berry Melon also had their hands up, but being in the middle of the group made them hard to spot, even when they jumped. Elfie also had her hand up, but was much more calmer, with a victorious smile on her face, as if expecting to be chosen already. Aegis stood his ground not doing anything along with Schrodinger, Firefly, Limbo, and Lloyd.

"*Sigh* if it means you're a Netherworld away from me then so be it, Sasha you're the second leader.

"Yes! Wait...That was messed up Walker!" Sasha said.

"Too late not take backs, now let's choose our teammates. Elfie you're with me" Walker began.

"A wise choice after a really stupid one, I guess that makes you even Walker" Elfie said.

"I feel better if I had a healer with me, rather than Sasha" Walker said.

"Fine take her, I'm going with Berry Melon, let's paint the town red like old times" Sasha said.

"Aw~ yeah!" Berry Melon cheered.

"Aegis" Walker said choosing wisely.

"Right behind you" Aegis assured.

"Kimberly" Sasha said.

"I would love to hear your ridiculous reason for choosing me, but very well, I shall comply" Kimberly said.

"Noelle, and Isabelle" Walker said.

"Whoopee~!"Noelle, and Isabelle cried out.

"Hey that's no fair you can't pick two people like that!" Sasha complained.

"I'm sorry is the swindler complaining about being cheated? Looks like Hades just froze over" Walker mocked.

"I'm getting even then, Limbo, Misha let's go" Sasha said.

"Sore loser...Peach Basket let's give em a taste of what a Shaman can do" Walker said.

"Ooah! Curse everything! New demons to curse! Ooah!" Peach Basket screamed loudly with excitement.

"Milky, because a barterer, and thief, we will make a killing!" Sasha said.

"I already see myself rolling in HL" Milky said.

"Firefly, you're pretty much the whole package" Walker said.

"E-eh, O-okay..." Firefly said with little confidence.

"Well Lloyd would be fitting, kind of even out the cheerfulness with depression" Sasha said.

"This is ridiculous, I demand a recount!" Schrodinger said.

"I see nothing wrong with the system" Kimberly said.

"There's always gonna be a loser, you just happened to be it this time, get use to it" Walker said.

"That puts us one team member less than yours" Sasha realized.

"Well Blank is busy working, so what can we do? I suggest you find someone at the Netherworld while you're promoting to even it out" Walker advised.

"Maybe I will" Sasha said.

"Alright, now that that's settled, let's move" Walker said.

"Wait! I'm gonna choose a surprise witness!" Sasha said.

"A surprise what? Don't make stuff up on the way" Walker said.

"I'm not, I still have the option to ask someone in the audience to join us, like those game shows!" Sasha said.

"Who told you, you could do that?" Walker cried out loud.

"Well you didn't say I couldn't" Sasha said.

"Damn it, I hate loopholes...fine do whatever you want, I'm gonna laugh though when they reject you" Walker said.

"...Um~ okay let's see...there's someone! Hey~ you! Come over here!" Sasha said.

"Not him again!" Kimberly groaned.

"Whoa! There's a lot you out today, must be one hell of a party" the Wood Golem said.

"Yeah it is, we're going to Maritsu Evil Academy, and crash their school party, you want in?" Sasha invited.

"I don't recall telling you to go there" Walker muttered.

"Crash a rival school party? Hell yeah I'm game, let's do this! I'm already slightly drunk, I should be able cause some property damage!" The Wood Golem assured.

"Awesome! Welcome to the Disgaea Guild" Sasha greeted.

"Whoa~ either I'm drunk, or that was the best name I heard for a guild!" The Wood Golem exclaimed.

"No it's mostly because you're intoxicated" Kimberly said.

"Hey it's the little bow girl! You've finally decided to join the party animals!" The Wood Golem asked.

"Heavens no, I am not here to 'party'. I am here to keep an eye out on things, purchase exotic tea, and complete the task I was given" Kimberly said.

"So you're the chaperone, that's cool too dudette" the Wood Golem assured.

"I am not what you called dudette, I am a lady, and you shall address me as such" Kimberly argued.

"I can't believe what just happened..." Walker muttered.

"He's huge~" Noelle, and Isabelle exclaimed.

"So what are we waiting for? Let's go egg those chumps over at Evil Academy, yeah!" The Wood Golem exclaimed getting pumped.

"He didn't even tell us his name yet..." Kimberly said.

"Am I a awesome recruiter, or what? Go me, go me~" Sasha said while victory dancing.

Not waiting for Sasha to stop, the team continued heading towards the Public Dimensional Gate.

"Well we know where we're headed, but where will you guys go?" Sasha asked.

"I thought about it, and figured a Netherworld with a town on it, in case I find a suitable vacant lot to expand my business." Walker said.

"A lot of Netherworlds are unnamed, mostly because we don't bother to name them, and also because of the fact that there are an infinite number of them therefore naming them all is impossible." Elfie said.

"So how do they bring everyone where they want?" Walker asked.

"Public Dimensional Gates are extremely restricted, larger cities have several Dimensional Gates, but each one leading to several different Netherworlds, or locations in our current Netherworld. Since I was too poor at the time to afford a trip, I can't know for certain which locations our Gate takes us, but rest assure wherever it does, the gate on the other side will always have a return ride back" Elfie said.

"Oh good, I was worried there" Firefly admitted.

"Convenient, were demons really that lazy to travel to those places on foot?" Walker asked.

"Yes extremely" Elfie answered.

At that point they had reached the Public Dimensional Gate, the building was the widest in town despite having only a single Dimensional Gate to cross, and the citizens entering, and leaving through it were very few in number. It always free to leave, or wait for someone to come out, but those who wish to use it, must meet with the manager, and creator of the Dimensional Gate. An Archer was the town's Dimensional Gate Keeper, a very high leveled one in fact, usually standing next to the Gate so as not to get in the way of oncoming demons. The Guild formed themselves on the sidelines where passengers would wait for their destination to show up on the display on top of the swirling gate.

"You guys will be the last passengers for today, consider yourselves lucky, and may I say welcome to the Dimensional Gate, my name is Ariel. Where should I take you?" The Archer named Ariel asked.

"We need 8 tickets to Maritsu Evil Academy" Sasha asked.

"Very well, I shall prepare the gate right away, do you have anywhere specific you have in mind? At the moment we have several locations available" Ariel said.

"P.E." Sasha said.

"Please wait a moment..." Ariel said as she closed her eyes, and appeared to be in a deep focus state.

"...Yes P.E. Is available in our district, enjoy your stay, and keep your head down, if I remember correctly, they're in the middle of a dodge-ball game" Ariel warned.

"Can do!" Sasha assured.

"I would require the set amount of HL before I make any commitment" Ariel asked.

Walker handed Sasha her spending HL. She rummaged the sack a little, and brought the needed amount to pay for the trip.

"This amounts to a return trip for eight demons as well. Remember, that any new demons you bring back must still pay for the trip themselves. Have a pleasant day" Ariel said as the monitor on top of the Gate changed to Maritsu Evil Academy.

"Wish us luck!" Sasha called out before leaving.

"Cursed of untied shoelaces!" Peach Basket quickly said as the team jumped into the Gate.

"Now how may I help you today?" Ariel asked.

"We need 8 tickets to a Netherworld in your listing with a town on it" Walker asked.

"Please wait a moment...yes there is a town who's Dimensional Gate is still open at this time, and connected to ours, would you wish to go to this Netherworld?" Ariel asked.

"Yes" Walker assured.

"Very well, I shall secure a connection...and done, your trip has been set. Thank you for choosing Ariel's Dimensional Gate, and please visit me again" Ariel said as the display once again changed, this time instead of Maritsu Evil Academy, the display read 'Vyers Castle'

"Never heard of that place before...you guys ready?" Walker asked.

"Curse this Vyers Castle, curse it goo~d" Peach Basket assured.

"I'm afraid of new places" Firefly stated.

"This has become something beyond a road trip Isabelle-" Noelle began.

"It must be one of those out of country expeditions Noelle!" Isabelle figured.

"I wonder what the public will make of us?" Aegis wondered.

"I highly believe an Archer will take us anywhere safely" Schrodinger wondered.

"If you would like, I can have you sent into a realm of dark oblivion where the dark lord Cthulhu reigns if you want verification of my abilities" Ariel invited.

"No thanks we're fine let's go!" Schrodinger quickly said.

"Silly Schrodinger, that's just a book humans wrote to scare demons away...and it usually does" Elfie said.

"Alright that settles it we're going in Walker said.

He, and the rest of his team walked into the gate as closely as they could, the transport was instantaneous, and strange, like walking into a spider's web. The next moment they found themselves in a somewhat larger public Dimensional Gate building, but with a Healer running the gate this time. The wide open doors revealed little, but it was obvious they were in a town, a window high above the ceiling revealed a large castle miles away, and possibly connected to the town via a road of some kind.

_End of Chapter_

_I've never had to turn in something this late before, I guess I'm getting sloppy. Either way I'll get started on the next chapter right away to save some time, and perhaps now I can finally bring out actual desired characters into the fray. Thanks for the reviews, support, and especially your patience._


	15. Chapter 15

_Chapter 15: Dealing with the Locals_

_A large delay last chapter, and I do apologize for that-_

_Female Brawler:You piece of crap! Apologize with your fists, I'll beat you to death for that, come on! I'll make you pay for taking this long to bring me into th-uh, um...huh, s-sorry about that, I...t-thanks for the invitation_

_Cheerleader: And one, two, three-jump, one two three-...wait where you talking? Whatever, hurry up, and send me some demons to skewer I haven't got all day...one, two three-jump, one, two, three-jump-high kick! Ya~y! Ho~ray!_

_...Who are you two?...Oh well, enjoy!_

Vyer's Castle town. Team 1: Walker, Elfie, Aegis, Peach Basket, Noelle, Isabelle, Schrodinger, and Firefly.

Leaving the Dimensional Transit, they had a clearer image of the new town they were in gazing at the buildings while being gazed by the demon populace as well. For a moment it appeared as if the street had a dirt road as well, but it turns out it was just really dusty, and the underneath the dust was a gravel pavement, cracked in several areas. Unlike the smaller town of Anewbie where Walker's guild resides, this town wasn't just a single main road town. It had blocks, sidewalks, the road actually split several ways, on the left side of the road was a clearing leading towards a forest, while on the right side the road lead to a large castle...or perhaps a big mansion miles away.

"W-W-Walker~ E-everyone's s-staring..." Firefly stammered.

"Well stare back at them, there's a bunch of freaks here...look over there! Jumping living tree stumps!" Walker pointed out at a passing group Treant Man-Eaters.

"I've fought with one of those kind before..." Aegis said observing a Pumpkin passing by them, puffing out a cloud of smoke with his cigarette as he did so.

"Me too...I'd care if I hadn't dominated one so easily in the past." Walker said

"Curses, many curses to give!" Peach Basket exclaimed.

"You should join our conversation with something other than who you're cursing Peach Basket, what do you have to say about the town?" Elfie asked.

"Ooah~...smells different, new faces, want meat!" Peach Basket analyzed.

"Excellent deductive skills" Walker sarcastically remarked.

"What are you talking about? That was awful" Elfie honestly replied.

"Ooah!" Peach Basket exclaimed in a quick angry fit.

"Let's just start walking" Walker said.

"Look at that Isabelle!" Noelle pointed out.

"Whoa! Check that out Noelle!" Isabelle added.

"So many things!" Both girls cried out.

"Let's hit a saloon, there's a vast library of information you can get from angry drunks" Walker said.

"Perhaps a bar, would be more likely Walker" Aegis said.

"That just pisses me off...fine let's start looking for it" Walker said.

"I don't believe you've thought that idea of yours through enough. This town is bigger than our own, we need some clue as to where to go" Elfie said.

"Let's ask around" Schrodinger said.

"Excuse us!" Noelle, and Isabelle loudly called out to a passing Male Brawler.

"What the hell?" The Male Brawler grumbled

"Can you tell us where the nearest bar is?" Noelle began.

"We really want to meet new friends! *Giggle*" Isabelle finished

"Screw off! Damn annoying kids..." the Male Brawler grunted.

"Aw~" Noelle, and Isabelle moaned in disappointment.

"Well that won't do at all" Walker said.

"May I?" Aegis asked.

"Knock yourself out" Walker allowed.

Aegis stepped in front of the Male Brawler's path.

"W-what the hell are you!" Male Brawler exclaimed never seeing a Heavy Knight towering above him like that before.

Aegis wordlessly, grabbed the Brawler's skull with a single hand, dragged him across the street, towards a building on the opposite side of the street with a more dense wall, and smashed the Brawler's head onto the wall.

"Tell us where a pub is, or I'm gonna rip your spine out through your ass!" Aegis warned.

"He'll do it!" Walker supported

"To hell with this! Dragon style! Ribcage breaker!" The Male Brawler shouted.

The Male Brawler struck at Aegis' side, successfully breaking four of his knuckles in the process, and failing at leaving a dent on Aegis' armor.

"That almost tickled...now then" Aegis began

He smashed the Brawlers head into the wall again.

"Where. Is. The pub?" Aegis repeated slowly in case he may have caused brain trauma.

"...Go right, second left turn, you can't miss it" the Male Brawler muttered before passing out

"Now that wasn't so hard...Elfie it's your turn" Aegis said.

"It's a good thing I brushed my teeth after I ate" Elfie said, then spat at the Brawler, recovering his brain trauma in the process.

"Let's book it before he wakes up" Schrodinger suggested.

Abandoning the Brawler, and leaving a group of demons watching the fight, the group began their trek towards the information bureau otherwise known as a bar.

"Ugh~ they're not gonna get out of that bar alive, not by a long shot..." The Male Brawler muttered before running towards the opposite direction.

"I think we made a good first impression" Walker said.

"Left mark on wall! land ours now!" Peach Basket said.

"It doesn't work that way Peach Basket." Elfie said.

"At least they'll know not to mess with us" Schrodinger said.

"He was helpful-" Noelle began.

"He gave us complete directions!" Isabelle finished.

"Did that punch he give you really not hurt?" Walker asked.

"Just rattled my armor, he needs more discipline" Aegis said.

"Well I'll just cross him out of the list of people we should recruit" Walker said.

"Wow, that's the first time I hear of you not hiring someone from the streets" Elfie said.

"I tried that, and looked who I got stuck with. Not making that mistake anytime soon" Walker said.

"Yes I suppose you can't get lucky all the time" Elfie said.

"Good comeback, oh look, that man's title says Male Cleric. Hey! Short haired guy with the torture device for a robe, can you cast heal?" Walker called out.

The young man looked at the passing team with curiosity, but eventually answered.

"Unfortunately yes, and unluckily for me it's my specialty" the Male Cleric answered.

"See you're replaceable in this Netherworld" Walker said.

"That's not true! You can't have someone who can talk, and act like me!" Elfie quickly argued.

"...Oh look there's another Female Healer over there!" Walker pointed out.

"That's a female healer? She looks completely different from me" Elfie pointed out.

"How?" Noelle, and Isabelle asked with childish curiosity.

"Her handcuffs are bronze, the white fluff around her neck is much thinner than mine, her robe is not V-necked like mine, and my breasts are at least two cup sizes bigger than hers. I'm just all around better in all aspects" Elfie ranted.

"...Walker left a while ago to talk to the Female Cleric over there" Aegis said.

"Ah! My only job!" Elfie cried out, and ran over towards them.

"So you're telling me, the only good gunners around here wear goggles, have no hat, no poncho, carry a backpack, and can control Geo panels?" Walker said amazed.

"Yes, and they even summon automatic machine guns to do the work for them" the Female Cleric added.

"What kind of backwards Netherworld is this!" Walker cried out loud.

"W-wait I was only kidding about all that stuff, I don't want to live on the streets again~" Elfie panted, and whined.

"...What are you talking about?" Walker asked.

"Huh?" Elfie responded.

"Just getting some quick info while you were boasting, I saw the cleric, and thought 'hey if Elfie knows so much about our Netherworld maybe that Cleric over there knows a lot about her own'" Walker said.

"Suffice to say he was very shocked from my information" the Cleric said.

"Yeah, I really needed that, appreciate the info" Walker said.

"Don't die" the Cleric said, the best goodbye a demon can give to a stranger. After that she went on her merry way.

"Don't scare me like that!" Elfie complained.

"Ha, serves you right, now come on, we need to make the turn." Walker said

"Hahaha! Healer really sad! Hahaha~" Peach Basket laughed loudly.

"Excuse me if my panic was hilarious, but I know your type tend to laugh at misfortune, especially if you're the ones who cause it so I'll allow it" Elfie said.

"One of many reasons your kind is not well liked" Aegis reminded.

"Ooah! Everyone enjoy good curse! Make demons laugh!" Peach Basket said.

"It's true that the misery of someone going through a ridiculous accident does bring about many laughs" Schrodinger said.

"I get scared about how horrible my accident could be, w-what if I break a bone, or worse!" Firefly exclaimed.

"Do you think there's witches in this town-" Noelle began

"We would love to meet a fellow Mage!" Isabelle added.

"I wonder how much more different they look here-" Noelle continued

"Maybe they have their hair in long pigtails!" Isabelle imagined.

"Well I don't see any right now, and if I can't see them from a distance you won't be able to" Aegis said.

"Actually I would" Walker said

"We gotta find one!" Noelle stated.

"On the double!" Isabelle assured.

"Yeah sure we'll get right on it" Walker lied.

"Not a lot of girls here, mostly just monsters, and dudes...how is this trip helping me?" Schrodinger muttered.

"We're doing the best...scratch that, just wait, and see" Walker said.

"Peach Basket not understand...me not curse you with hideous face curse, or smelly smell curse. You cursed yourself! What curse, what curse?" Peach Basket excitedly asked.

"I did no such thing, I'm just having a sudden difficult time at the moment" Schrodinger excused.

"Have you thought that maybe starting every conversation with a pick up line might have something to do with that?" Elfie asked.

"I don't see any other way to talk to a pretty girl" Schrodinger said.

"I'm gonna drown out your stupidity with as much beer as I can take" Walker said.

"Anything you can take, I can take double" Aegis said.

"Is that a challenge, hah! Don't make me laugh no one can out-drink a Gunner" Walker said.

"I'm almost three times your size, I'm sure I can fit much more in my gut than you" Aegis said.

"It's not about how much you can fit, as you'll plainly see" Walker said.

"We can beat both of you!" Noelle, and Isabelle declared.

"...I'll just be the designated driver" Elfie said.

"M-me too" Firefly said.

"Gonna drink spirits they guide my curses well~" Peach Basket proclaimed.

"Isn't there a law against drunk cursing?" Walker asked.

"No, no, no, no, no, no" Peach Basket assured repeatedly.

"Okay, okay! I get it, we'll let everyone know who we are, bring someone back with us, and then drink in celebration" Walker said.

"What if we fail in all aspects?" Elfie asked.

"We drink in failure" Walker answered.

"Hooray!" Noelle, and Isabelle cheered.

"I'm not so sure I should give them anything to drink" Walker suddenly decided.

"They do seem rather hyperactive as it is" Aegis said.

"Maybe some alcohol will even them out?" Elfie figured.

"Well they are well above the drinking age...even if they don't act like it...let's just wait for now" Walker said.

"We're right here-" Noelle began

"At least look at us when you're talking about us!" Isabelle finished.

"By the way, any reason why Noelle always starts the conversation, and Isabelle finishes them?" Elfie asked.

"We switched every week, or so" Noelle, and Isabelle answered.

"And why do you do that?" Elfie asked.

Both girls stared at Elfie clearly confused.

"...Who's up for root beer floats at the bar?" Aegis quickly changed topics.

"We do~!" Noelle, and Isabelle cheered.

"I thought so" Aegis said.

"Wait is that it? I can't tell" Elfie said pointing at a building a few feet away from them, and on the left side of the street.

"It's not a saloon I can tell you that much, the neon reads 'Sweet Dreams Bar', and bar usually means 'serves alcohol'" Walker said.

"Well it does seem rather hard to miss seeing as it is the only building with neon lights on the title" Aegis said.

"They're so bright, and pink" Firefly noticed.

"Cursive! Can't read cursive!" Peach Basket said.

"Well let's gather some more information, and hire us a goon" Walker said.

"You mean get plastered, and see what happens?" Aegis said.

"Exactly" Walker said.

"How come they don't have a door?" Firefly wondered

A Male Warrior flew through the opening, drunk, and slightly beaten.

"I suppose having a door if everyone is going to end up leaving like that would be insufficient" Aegis said.

"Let's avoid that fate shall we?" Walker asked.

"Ooah!" Peach Basket exclaimed while nodding her head rapidly.

Walker walked inside first with Aegis, Schrodinger, Elfie, Peach Basket, Noelle, Isabelle, and Firefly last. The customers sitting on stools, or gathered around round wooden tables watched the bundle of new demons, most of them having never seeing such strange looking demons.

"I get the feeling we stick out like a sore thumb" Elfie whispered.

"Good it sounds like we don't have to do much to draw anyone's attention here" Walker responded.

They approached the front of the bar, the shelf almost as wide as the building itself, and stacked up by three layers, every inch of it covered in assortment of liquor, ales, lagers, even soda. The bartender, and possibly owner was Lilim.

"I don't recall looking like that when I was a Lilim, then again I've never been to this side of the Netherworld before" Elfie said.

"A bartender's a bartender" Walker simply said.

"Well aren't you guys popular here, I haven't seen so many eyes directed on someone since myself on 'Topless Tuesday'" the Lilim Bartender said.

"Sounds like an interesting story, perhaps a few drinks, and you could tell us more about this place" Walker said.

"Certainly, why don't you have a seat on these stools, and we can chat, it's pretty slow today" the Lilim said.

"Why?" Firefly asked.

"It's not 'Topless Tuesday'" the Lilim answered.

"You don't seem too surprised to see so many new strangers" Aegis said

"Well I came up with the genius idea of building a bar near the dimensional gate, so we tend to see a lot of strange faces, but they all have the same thing in common, they all love a good drink" the Lilim said.

"Can't argue with such amazing logic!" Walker agreed.

"The name's Vodka, what will it be?" the Bartender Vodka asked.

"Gonna get my hopes up, but how about some Sarsaparilla?" Walker asked.

"I was waiting for someone like you to order Sarsaparilla, I was just one bottle left from becoming overstocked" Vodka said.

"I'll take care of that problem for you!" Walker assured.

"Ah~ you'd do that for little old me? I'm so happy, would like a free body shot from me?" Vodka invited.

"Just a couple of drinks to start out with" Walker insisted.

"Oh~ that's too bad, I'll get the drinks you just call them out while I do so" Vodka glumly said

"Hard cider" Aegis said.

"W-water...safe water" Firefly said.

"Root beer floats!" Noelle, and Isabelle said

"Pale Lager" Schrodinger said.

"Red wine, and a nice glass to go with it" Elfie said.

"Something wild, and bitter!" Peach Basket exclaimed

"There ya go, I'll just put it on the tab, although...if there's any other way you can pay, I wouldn't mind" Vodka said as she leaned closer to Walker

"Yeah how about seconds, I'm done with this drink" Walker said.

"...Coming right up" Vodka said.

"Why haven't you made the moves on the bartender yet?" Elfie asked.

"Because she's a Lilim...even if it feels really good, I don't want the life sucked out of me" Schrodinger said.

"Smart man, but not my type. Oh who am I kidding I have no type" Vodka said.

"Well here's to my new favorite bar-" Walker declared.

Suddenly a hand moved swiftly from behind, and snatched Walker's Sarsaparilla. He turned around to see a familiar Male Brawler, behind him were three other Male Brawlers.

"So they're the ones Dorro?" The Brawler on the left said.

"Dorro?" Walker questioned mockingly.

"These cheap fighters? Yeah they're the ones York" the one with the stolen sarsaparilla said.

"Another bunch of newcomers thinking they tough right Olias?" The center brawler in front of Dorro said.

"I was getting bored punching my punching bag anyways, this will be good practice Garon" Olias said.

"Don't care about any of you right, now. So if you could just hand over my drink so I can get a little hammered before I thras-" Walker said.

Before Walker could finish Dorro threw Walker's sarsaparilla outside, and onto the wall of the building opposite the Sweet Dreams Bar, the glass shattered, and the liquid staining the wall.

"...That was my favorite drink...So~ what can I do for you?" Walker said demonstrating an extremely high amount of patience, and nerves all of a sudden.

"You think you can just knock out one of us without any consequence?" Olias said.

"Oh I get it, Walker these four have a reputation, and obviously we just killed it" Aegis said.

"That was fast" Walker commented.

"You think this is a joke? You're lives are on the line!" Garron said.

"Well it would have been funny, but you went, and killed the mood by throwing my sarsaparilla out the door" Walker said.

"When we're done with you, you're gonna wish you'd had stayed in your own Netherworld!" Dorro said.

"Check this out Peach Basket, four voluntary victims for your curses" Walker said ignoring Dorro's threat.

"*Sip...sip...sip...* ooah!...*Sip...sip...sip*" Peach Basket said while drinking her beverage, which began to glow an eerie blue color after being half way empty.

"Oh dear this won't do at all, if you're gonna fight I'm gonna have to make it quick...Nina! Can you come over here again!" Vodka called out.

"You can't make me do it, no matter how many times you beg!" A girl's voice called out.

"No, no this isn't about Topless Tuesday, I need you to kick out some angry customers again!" Vodka exclaimed.

"Did that Warrior come back again?" Nina asked.

"No he's still unconscious, there's four new guys, bugging my would be paying customers!" Vodka exclaimed.

"Do you really have to shout, like, right in my ear?" Walker asked.

"What's your name sweetie?" Vodka asked.

"Walker...and don't call me sweetie" Walker answered.

"Nina, Walker is getting bothered because I'm yelling right at his ear, can you just come over here!" Vodka said.

"Who's Walker?" Nina asked.

"Oh he's this really cute, and cool looking demon with a cowboy hat, and a western accent!" Vodka explained.

"That sounds interesting, is he new here?" Nina called out.

"Yes! He even brought a bunch of his frien-" Vodka began

"My ears can't take anymore!" Walker exclaimed.

"Stop ignoring us!" Dorro said.

Rushing from an employee only door came a Female Brawler.

"She works for you?" Schrodinger asked.

"She's a part timer as a bodyguard when customers have a little too much to drink, and get violent." Vodka said.

"It's about time, hurry up, and help us beat them into submission" Garron said.

"Vodka?" Nina asked.

"Walker, and his friends are the paying customers, right?" Vodka asked.

Walker flashed a sack full of HL.

"That's right they are! Seeing you hold that makes you even more irresistible you know" Vodka said.

"So it's just those four right?" Nina asked.

"Yes" Vodka answered.

"Um excuse me, but I'm gonna have to ask you to leave, you're troubling the paying customers" Nina muttered with little confidence.

"I don't believe this, you can't just go against your fellow brawlers!" Olias said.

"I-I'm not it's just...you know, I want to do a good job, and all...we don't have to do this" Nina practically pleaded

"Wise, very wise, can I get a refill?" Walker asked.

"Sure here, this one's on the house" Vodka assured.

Before Walker could grab his free sarsaparilla, Dorro swiped it, and tossed out the door like the previous bottle.

"That's strike two jerk-wad, I'm this close to beating you to nothing" Walker said his fists shaking, his hat slumped onto his face covering most of it.

"I'm surprised you haven't snapped after the first one, how lucky are you four" Elfie said.

"Ooah~ pack leader giving bad mojo, darker than Peach Basket's mojo" Peach Basket said.

"Look at that vein on his head Isabelle!" Noelle said

"It's getting b-bigger!" Isabelle said.

"Why don't you vent that anger on us? We'll see how many seconds it'll last until we kill you" Dorro said.

"That wasn't right, he paid for that drink you really shouldn't-" Nina continued.

"Hey if you aren't with us, then your against us, out of our way!" Garron said after shoving Nina onto a nearby table to get closer to Walker's guild who just began to stood up. A fight was quickly brewing.

"Another for your trouble" Vodka awkwardly said as she placed a fourth bottle of sarsaparilla on the counter, and quickly backed away, not because of being too weak to fight, but fear of ruining her hair.

Walker quickly grabbed the neck of the sarsaparilla, but Dorro gripped the body, and squeezed it with all his strength causing the bottle to shatter.

"You're dead..." Walker muttered darkly

He was just about to swing his fist at Dorro, but he was beaten to him when someone else punched him instead. Dorro was flung several feet, hitting the wall, then collapsing onto a table below him.

"Strike three bastard!" Nina exclaimed

"He was my kill!" Walker cried out.

"Screw off! His stupid gang started it, I'm gonna finish it!" Nina shouted back.

"I don't need someone like you in my fights!" Walker angrily argued.

"Well ain't that something someone who sucks at life would say!" Nina said.

"You're so full of it!" Walker retaliated.

"You're the one with crap for brains!" Nina assured.

"You want a piece of me! You don't know what you're messing with!" Walker shouted back.

"I know I'm dealing with a pansy who's all bark, no bite!" Nina mocked.

"Son of a bitch! I'm gonna shove a cactus so far up your ass you'll be puking cactus juice!" Walker warned.

"Where the hell are you gonna get a cactus here? Are you a dumbass? Just as I thought!" Nina declared.

"Yeah you keep that smile, it's gonna be gone when I'm through with you!" Walker assured.

"Hah, looking at your scrawny ass, I really doubt it!" Nina said.

"Wow, look at them go at it" Elfie said.

"I haven't heard anyone shout back at Nina when she snaps, I never thought I'd find someone else as hot headed as her." Vodka said.

"Snaps? So it's a defense mechanism?" Aegis said.

"Hey eyes up here perv!" Nina said.

"Sorry you're so beaten looking. I can't stand the look of failure" Walker said.

"Keep talking jackass, cause I'm gonna rip those vocal cords out of ya real soon!" Nina promised.

"Not before I blast that hand out of the sky!" Walker exclaimed.

"What's with the gun, you compensating for something?" Nina mocked.

"You sick bastard!" Walker cried out.

"-Sort of, it kind of activates itself under violent conditions" Vodka added.

"Ah, Walker's like that too" Schrodinger said.

"His conditions involve laziness, smart asses, Sasha, bad jobs, pranks, and everything" Elfie listed.

"Who's side are you on?" Walker wondered.

"Wow you suck!" Nina mocked.

"You! I'm still not done with you" Walker realized.

"Hey stop ignoring us!" Garron interrupted.

"Shut up!" Walker, and Nina bellowed together.

Nina placed a palm squarely on Garron's face, and twisted her palm upon contact. The result was Garron flying in rapid barrel rolls. Walker was much less fist related as he was much faster in quick draws. Once he rushed within reach he used his gifted quick draw speed by pulling out his gun, switching so the butt end of the gun faced forward mid-draw, and swung the pistol hard across Olias's left cheek in half a second, the second half he spent putting his gun back into it's holster. The quiet one of the group York was now alone, and facing two obviously angry demons. He figured it would be better to fight again, and for future generations he will insist that he was merely performing a strategic retreat, and not screaming away from the bar like a scared little girl.

"Yellow bellied cowards" Walker muttered, still feeling a lot of pent up anger.

"I thought for a moment someone was gonna shout battle start, or something" Elfie said.

"I like the faster fight better" Aegis said.

"I-i-is it o-over?" Firefly asked crouching behind her stool.

"Damn it! I'm still pissed...you! You better deliver!" Nina said now raising her fists, and aiming them at Walker.

"I'm gonna enjoy hearing you cry uncle!" Walker exclaimed.

"Getting beat up by a girl is gonna be the worst thing to happen to you!" Nina assured.

"I had enough of your damn remarks!" Walker said drawing his gun out.

"Time to beat you to oblivion!" Nina shouted back.

"Hang on..." Aegis said.

Aegis walked in between them.

"Get out of the way big, tall, and ugly-eh?" Nina exclaimed until Aegis grabbed her head with one hand.

"I don't need your help with my fights you big oaf-hey!" Walker cried out as Aegis grabbed his head with his other hand.

Aegis looked around searching for a suitable wall, but found the wood too soft, and the other buildings too far away to reach.

"This is gonna hurt you more than it'll hurt me" Aegis suddenly said.

He then slammed Walker's, and Nina's heads together, the impact knocking them out instantly.

"Well this isn't turning out well" Elfie said.

"We can only hope the other team has better luck than we do" Schrodinger said.

Maritsu Evil Academy. Team 2: Sasha, Kimberly, Lloyd, Limbo, Misha, Milky, Berry Melon, and their newest Wood Golem member...

"Hey really quickly what's your name?" Sasha asked.

"Megas!" The Wood Golem bellowed.

"Well there goes my eardrums" Kimberly grumbled.

"Where do we start?" Limbo asked.

"Anywhere, but here, I'm leaving dood!" A Prinny shouted.

"Ah, you must be the Dimensional Gate Keeper" Kimberly said.

"Y-yeah I am, and I'm shutting this thing down until tomorrow dood! I gotta get out of here before they reach this place dood!" The Prinny stammered.

"Whoa there, hold your horses, who's coming here?" Sasha asked.

"Didn't they warn you on the other side dood? It's P.E, and even worse, it's dodge-ball dood! The only activity demons actually enjoy in this school dood!" The Prinny exclaimed.

"So what it's just one class, and this school is a world big! What are the chances of them reaching us?" Milky said.

"Actually even though it's not in anyone's schedule, the whole Netherworld get's involved. It's practically became a holiday, and everyone celebrates it" Berry Melon explained.

"That's right, and the more time I waste talking you guys, the less time I have finding a place to hide dood!" The Prinny paniced.

"Get a move on, we'll be back tomorrow" Sasha assured.

"You don't have to tell me twice dood!" The Prinny exclaimed before running off.

The took a look at their surroundings, the room was rather big, possibly to hold would be students, and carrying two rows of long benches near the back for those waiting for the fresh meat to give them a good old fashion Evil Academy welcome wedgie.

"It sure doesn't fit the whole evil look I was expecting from a school with the word evil written in the middle of it's name" Kimberly said.

"That's because the good stuffs outsi-" Sasha began.

"W-wait p-please dood! Have Mercy, I'm just a lowly Prinny dood!" They heard the same Gate Keeper Prinny they were just talking too.

They couldn't see him, but he didn't sound too far off.

"N-no, not the dodge-balls anything, but the dodg-*Ah~*!...Dood~" Was the last the Prinny was heard saying, as the guild heard the distinct noise of balls colliding with living things.

"Whoever did that will be here any minute!" Milky said.

"I knew I was gonna die as soon as I got here...*sigh*" Lloyd muttered.

"Hah! Worried already? Here's how they welcomed me to my dorm!" Megas exclaimed.

He stomped his way over to one of the benches, and ripped it out of it's bolts keeping it on the ground. After that he moved directly in front of the doorless framed, and stood there, moments later a Ronin, Star Skull, and a Lady Fighter appeared, all of them carrying red balls of childhood trauma.

"Got wood!?" Megas shouted before chucking the long bench straight at them.

The bench shot out like a missile, and struck the three demons like a bowling ball hitting pins, all three demons were knocked out. Sasha took this time to inspect a nearby ball, as she picked one up she noticed a Prinny in the distance, slouching beside a wall, and twitching occasionally.

"These balls are overinflated...they're rough to the touch, but gives us a good grip, but the inflated ball would hurt more would it" Sasha said.

"Meow, meow, mew!" Misha cried out while pointing at something from the unconscious Star Skull

Translation: (They are carrying red sashes around them! This is important.)

"What is it? Are you sad because you can't throw?" Berry Melon asked.

"Look more closely at these demons...they are wearing red sashes" Kimberly noticed.

"Meow! Meow, meow, meow!" Misha called out.

Translation: (That's what I just said!)

"Did I mention they split up into two teams, red, and blue?" Berry Melon said.

"Sometimes though it's a free for all if the teachers feel a little more sadistic than normal." Sasha said.

"Is there a goal to this?" Kimberly asked.

"When it's teams they're usually a flag to capture, or last team standing." Sasha said.

"These people can't help us...we need to find someone to tell us what's up!" Berry Melon said.

The hall they had entered had two rows with several pillars near the center lined perfectly with each other in a rectangle shape. Two Double doors on the left was quite possibly the exit, but from the looks of it, and all the thick layer of dust covering it, it appears to have not been in use since the creation of the Dimensional Gate.

"I see a door to one of the main hallways that lead to several connected classrooms" Sasha pointed at a door on the opposite end.

"You can find your way around this place? Because I see several similar doors that could lead elsewhere" Kimberly said.

"Sure I could, natural sense of direction ya know!" Sasha assured.

"Have you ever been on this side of the school before?" Kimberly asked.

"Not entirely...hehe~" Sasha awkwardly admitted.

"I don't care where we go, just let me at em! I'll school them on the fine art of ass-kickery!" Megas assured.

"Okay let's take door number 1!" Sasha said.

"You are the leader unfortunately" Kimberly said, but reluctantly obeyed.

Taking a double door on the far left, the guild was met with loud cries, gunshots, shooting dodge-balls, and groans of those unfortunate enough to get struck by one.

The brawls where taking place in classrooms acting as trenches while the long, wide hallways acted as no man's land...which was exactly where they were at the moment. Though they can't see it, several demons were already aiming directly at the easy targets.

"And they called me stupid, get over here!" A girl's voice beckoned them from one of the boarded up classrooms on the left.

A door suddenly swung open allowing them passage to the nearest classroom to the left, as well as provided a temporary shield from the bombarding dodge-balls being flung at them. The guild wasted no time in rushing inside the safer trench class. The classroom was wrecked, most of the desks were ripped apart for resources, the wood mostly used as a barricade now breaking with several holes, and thick cracks along the sides. The chalkboard had several scribbled including rows of line which indicated how long whoever bunked here stayed, there was twenty eight lines in total. Several bodies of demons with blue sashes were on the floor, all knocked out, they composed of a Green Mage, a Fighter, two Heretics, and a Sniper. The only one still standing was that called them over, a Brand New Idol, with her back to the barricade, occasionally glancing through a small hole to survey the enemies, she also had a blue sash tied under a yellow ribbon on her left thigh.

"First things first, are you guys spies?" She asked.

"Trick question, there are no spies in death dodge-ball, unless you're a ninja, and even then they just hit you from behind" Sasha answered.

"Alright you got me here, so what's you're story you lost your sashes when your platoon got raided by the enemy? Maybe you forgot about them, and been going back, and forth between teams, do like what I've done with the place? Pretty good for a bunker right? I mean yeah I've been here for a while now, and I would really like to leave because I'm running out of food, but I'm surrounded over here. They got one of the Heretics first, while we were building our wooden shield, then they took em one after another. Been asleep ever since, Even my loud cheering didn't work to wake them up, which is what I've been doing this whole time waiting for reinforcements, which I never ask for, and you never get. I did get a lot of great new dancing done, but my audience is a little lack luster as you can plainly see-hey do any of you know what time it is? I feel suddenly tired since I haven't slept in ages, but I still have all this extra energy, but I guess that's what you get when you become an idol, though I don't think you guys understa-" The Idon went on.

"Is this gonna take a while?" Sasha asked.

"We haven't ask any questions, are you always like this?" Limbo said.

"Have you kept this in you for a while?" Milky asked.

"No, no, and yes!" The Brand New Idol answered.

"Give us a name to start!" Berry Melon said.

"Oh yeah name, name, yeah I guess I should have started with that before blabbering away, it's just that I haven't had anyone to talk to for a while, and I have a lot to say, but I'm pretty sure it'll wear off in a while. Just can't stop this rush of excitement when you're in a middle of a battlefield like this-" the Brand New Idol went on again.

"*Ahem*" Kimberly loudly coughed.

"Oh yeah-*giggle* my name is Peachy!" Peachy finally introduced.

"Okay good we're getting somewhere, okay...where to start..." Milky said.

"Oh! Oh! I know!" Berry Melon happily exclaimed.

A Dodge-ball breached the defenses, and created a wide gap in the barricade.

"Oh? Hang a sec" Peachy said.

She grabbed a nearby dodge-ball, and threw it as hard as she could to the possible opponent, the ball made impact, but not to an enemy, rather a wall in front of it.

"Darn! Today is not my lucky day, it would be so much better if I was a Dream Idol, I could have made it my lucky day" Peachy said.

"Well see that's what our group needs right now" Sasha began.

"Well I haven't seen one, man would I love to see one, my gal pal said she's seen one, but I was like 'no way', and she was like 'yeah way', but you know maybe I should be one instead, I'm almost eligible to be a Summer Idol. Ah! I'm doing it again! I just...look...help me get out of here, you get bonus points if we win, we could kiss, shake hands, nod to each other, party, this, that, yadda-yadda, all that good stuff, but right no~w? I want to do something else with my life" Peachy ranted.

"Sounds like we don't have much of a choice" Lloyd said.

"True, but at least it's not whether to cut the right, or left leg off right?" Peachy said.

"That's a grim analogy, but yes you're right" Limbo said.

"A~gh! All this talking time for action! Where's the potato cannon!" Megan bellowed.

Several more dodge-balls were head banging against the barricade, some going through the new gap.

"No cannons here, but we do have weapons, all modified for just this occasion" Peachy assured.

"Ah! You mean those guns, and arrows that shoot dodge-balls rather than actual deadly projectiles?" Sasha remembered.

"And those staffs that turn spells into dodge-balls?" Berry Melon asked.

"I have a few, but I already got my weapon of choice, help yourselves, just watch out for return fire, I'll cover you! The weapon stocks are besides the chalkboard" Peach explained as she grabbed several dodge-balls, and began to fling them at targets, mostly blindly.

Kimberly, Sasha, Berry Melon, Limbo, and Milky rushed to grab the gear while Limbo floated randomly, Megas flinging everything, but dodge-balls, and Misha hissing loudly. Eventually they re-equipped themselves with the new weapons.

"Time to mix it up! We're finally going on the offense! I love offense, actually I just love violence in general, kind of fun actually, like one of those sexy black widows, you know the girls who kill type of characters" Peachy said.

"How can you keep your smile after all you've been through?" Kimberly suddenly asked.

"Oh I don't know, sure there was that moment when I first lost my team, and I was all depressed, but it didn't help that I knew them for a few minutes before their downfall, so that only lasted about a couple seconds. Like I said though I've been dancing non-stop for a long time, and just waiting to show everyone my waist shaking back, and forth was more than enough to keep me going." Peachy answered.

"If you were anything other than an Idol, I would have said that was a stupid reason for living, but to each his own, now let's win this thing" Sasha said.

"Finally! Okay here's the deal, the classrooms are aligned very zig-zaggy-ish, I mean we're at the very bottom since those punks over on the other side are the only ones we have a clear shot at. We hit them, and conquer their class, we move up a nudge, we then move on to the next class on the other side, we take em out, we'll move up further. We keep doing this until we reach the end, where the flag is guarded by a few teachers. Either side could go for it, and this is just one of many hallways that reach the flag room" Peachy began.

"Why hasn't the red team already rushed inside with their numbers?" Lloyd asked.

"Because they're probably saving themselves for later, right now keeping themselves busy hitting us, and who knows what the rest of the red guys are doing further ahead, maybe they already tried to get the flag" Peachy said.

"Then who's to say the haven't got the flag already?" Limbo asked.

"Easy, the school bell will ring, and someone on the PA will tell us which team won, or which demon won depending on what the game is" Sasha quickly explained.

"So far as I can tell there's only three demons on the opposing side, their door's locked...maybe" Peachy explained.

"No problem, leave this to me!" Megas assured.

He stomped his way over to the widest in tact piece of the barricade, stretched his arms to as wide as he could, and latched his thick fingers into the wood.

"Ye~argh!" Megas bellowed as he pushed with all his might.

The barricade along with the classroom wall below it resisted, but not for long. Soon the entire panel surrender to Megas' strength, and became a battering ram as Megas charged towards the classroom opposite of their own. The enemy demons panicked as they were about to fire another volley of dodge-balls, but were not quick enough to do anything about the stampeding wall of pain. Megas' wall collided with the enemy's wall, and both crumbled in a spectacular, but dusty explosion of debris, and sawdust. The rest of the team rushed in to take care of any survivors, but found them all unconscious, either fainting from shock, smacked by a wall, or possibly both. The resulting cataclysm left less than half of the classroom wall left to protect them, but was just enough give them a basic cover which they quickly got into as several dodge-balls were heading their way.

"I think we just woke everyone up" Sasha said.

"That wall is too puny for me to ram into others! Plus I think I'm starting to get sober" Megas announced.

"We can't keep getting hit like this though" Limbo said.

"We need a distraction-" Kimberly began.

"Hey! Everyone! Look at me dance!" Peachy shouted as she stood up.

She was quickly pulled down by Sasha, as numerous dodge-balls hit the air Peachy's head once vacated.

"A distraction that won't have them firing on us!" Kimberly finished.

"Mew, meow, mew, meow!" Misha cried out.

Translation: (Look at all these bodies, already unconscious, no one will mind if I use them as sacrifices)

"That's it!" Sasha suddenly said

"Mew, mew!" Misha replied.

Translation: (It's about time you joined my side already)

We'll use Misha as a distraction!" Sasha said.

"How in the Netherworld are we gonna do that?" Peachy asked.

"We just need a little rope, a bow, and a very talented Archer" Sasha said looking at Kimberly.

"I was wondering what silly thing you shall have me do, I'm sure you won't disappoint" Kimberly said.

Sasha grabbed Misha, and with a little bit of rope, she tied the Catsaber to a bow, and handed it Kimberly.

"Okay Misha, when you get there, go full blown tiger on them! Claw, and bite anything that moves until we can move in" Sasha said.

"Mew, meow, meow!" Misha cried out as she squirmed in her ropes.

Translation: (I recognize this! This is sacrifice style number 56! Shoot your sacrifice into something deadly!)

"H-hold still Misha, you're not very aerodynamic, and moving around like that will only make my shot more difficult." Kimberly said.

"I see a gap in their defense, Milky will use her petite body, and nimble speed to dodge the balls while she exposes herself to all their attacks to draw their attention" Sasha said.

"Yeah...wait what!" Milky cried out.

"Such a brave trooper" Sasha complimented.

"Your sacrifice will not be in vain, I will make sure of that" Kimberly said.

"Meow, meow!" Misha cried out

Translation: (Sacrifice style number 23 I see...all of a sudden my sacrifice is not as bad)

"I wish I was just like you" Berry Melon complimented as well.

"S-stop! Stop complimenting me, I won't do-" Milky began.

"Dudette, you're a real team player, we should have you play football with my dorm one day!" Megas said.

"I wish I could do something like that, but alas I am a ghost, and no one goes for ghosts in these types of games, how I envy you" Limbo said.

"It must be nice to be so full of life that giving it away is actually meaningful. Unlike mine" Lloyd glumly said.

"I-b-but!" Milky stammered.

"I shall tribute your sacrifice in the most beautiful dance imaginable" Peachy assured.

"I-I...aw~" Milky muttered in defeat.

She dragged herself out in the open while everyone openly waved goodbye to her, already expecting her to last a couple seconds before she gets a face full of dodge-ball. Surprisingly, she did a great job moving swiftly out of harms way while Kimberly, aimed, and strung her bow.

"I've never fired a cat before so don't blame me if I miss" Kimberly said.

"Well ya know, I would love to have done the honors, but there's no way Misha will fit in my pistol barrel" Sasha said.

"Meow!" Misha cried out

Translation: (Don't shoot me on that wall of spikes damn you)

"Hit!" Kimberly shouted.

She fired her arrow, it flew despite the added cat weight, whooshed to the designated hole in their defense while suddenly the arrow turned into a bright red spinning dodge-ball with Misha clinging, and spinning with it. It hit no one, rather it hit the wall, luckily Misha released the ball, and landed on her little paws before that happened. It didn't take long for a reaction to be heard.

"Oh god it's clawing my face!" Shouted a Fighter.

"That's our cue, rush, rush, rush!" Peachy cried out.

"It's in my eyes! It's in my eyes!" The same Fighter shouted.

Megas punched the door open, and in came Peachy followed closely by Sasha.

"Jump cat!" Peachy shouted.

Misha did so just in the nick of time, as Peachy's spear, with the tip turning into a dodge-ball at the last minute collided with the face of the Fighter, sending him flying several feet away. Sasha meanwhile shot several rounds, each bullet turning into dodge-balls mid-air, and struck a Shaman, a Ranger, and a Druid several times.

"That's two for two we're on fire!" Peachy cheered while doing a little victory dance in the process.

"It's not over yet, we still got about three more classrooms left, and the big dogs at the flag" Sasha said.

"At least we're going at a faster rate than I was alone, which is funny because I do my best performances solo, rather than with a crowd. I guess you can't pick, and choose what you're good with, and that's always a problem because you don't do it ahead of time, and by the time you realize something you're not good at, it's always at a dangerous time. Like, it shouldn't take a life threatening situation to find out what your talented, and what you suck at, but maybe I'm over-complicating things, do you guys wanna see my new cheer, I have a song, or two we could listen to." Peachy went on.

"...Yeah...quick question?" Sasha asked.

"What's up?" Peachy asked.

"What's with the spear? Aren't you better off with guns, or staffs?" Sasha said.

"Oh you know so much about my class, that's so sweet" Peachy said.

"Eh~...it's a long story" Sasha said.

"I grew attached to this spear-all spears in general, I don't know there's something about it that really got my attention, plus I friend of mine taught me some skills so I'm all good. Plus it completely evolved all my dance routines to a whole new level no other Idol has done before. I just plant the pointy end firmly in the ground, and dance around the long shaft, and most of the time it holds up...other times are a real mess." Peachy explained

She demonstrated this by stabbing at the ground, jiggling the spear to ensure it was deeply planted into the ground, and perform a quick dance by gripping the spear, and twirling around it fairly quickly, and repeating.

"...Are you a stripper?" Sasha at last spoke out.

The apparent shock of the question caused her hand to slip off the pole, and she ended up falling butt first into the floor.

"N-no! It's not like that! My dance invigorates demons to do their best! It's not for pleasure!" Peachy loudly, and angrily explained.

"I'm sure that won't be taken out of context" Kimberly muttered.

"I'm just ahead of my time, you'll see..." Peachy said, turning her head away to hide the sudden blush.

"...Right, sure..." Sasha said

"One, two, three, four. One, two, three, four" Peachy muttered to herself.

"Now what? Huh, huh, huh?" Berry Melon asked.

"Just something to calm me down, memorizing dance numbers always cheers me up" Peachy admitted.

A rouge dodge-ball shot through a breach in the defense, and struck Lloyd in the ribs.

"M-maybe we should get into cover!" Milky exclaimed.

"No~ blue guy! He was so young! He never even had a chance to get drunk with me!" Megas bellowed as he carried Lloyd's twitching body.

"He didn't get to see my dances either! The Netherworld can be so cruel!" Peachy added.

"D-d-don't k-kill me off...just, y-y-yet" Lloyd gasped as he suddenly found it harder to breathe.

"Alright serious time people, let's get them back a thousand fold!" Sasha said.

"For the little guy!" Megas shouted.

"Yeah!" Berry Melon shouted with him.

Once again they returned to action, with the team constantly throwing dodge-balls, and being attacked by dodge-balls in return, for them this fight will take quite a while, and whatever reward they get out of this better be worth it.

_End of Chapter_

_Still gonna expand their personalities even further, this was just a taste of what's to come in the next chapter. Gonna keep trying to submit these as quick as possible, as the real fun of this story is about to begin, primarily once they return back their Netherworld where a sweet surprise is waiting for them. Thanks for the reviews, support, advice, suggestions, patience, everything really!_


	16. Chapter 16

_Chapter 16: Goodbye to the Locals_

_Still need some fine tuning, but I think all is going well with the new guys_

_Megas: You gotta put more booze into your story bro, I'm starting to see straight!_

_O-okay! More beer coming, please stop stomping towards me! Enjoy!_

Maristu Evil Academy. Team 2: Sasha, Milky, Kimberly, Lloyd, Misha, Megas, Berry Melon, Limbo, and Peachy

"Quick! Give me some snacks, right away!" Kimberly exclaimed under heavy fire from the enemy.

Sasha slid the snack bag towards Kimberly, then quickly stood up from her cover, and opened fire on their assailants, then retreated back into cover to reload.

"Good, now hand me Lloyd!" Kimberly added.

"Megas slid Lloyd's twitching body towards Kimberly, then grabbed a nearby chair, and tossed that at them.

"H-handle w-with c-c-care people" Lloyd wheezed.

"Just hold still, this should at the very least numb the pain" Kimberly soothed.

Kimberly delicately placed several caterpillar eggs, into Lloyd's mouth, and helped him eat it.

"Ugh~ you were right...these taste so horrendous that I completely forgot about the pain in my ribs" Lloyd muttered.

"I suppose that is the best we can hope for without a healer" Kimberly said.

"Guess I have no choice, we're not getting anywhere, and my buzz is wearing down, if I'm gonna do something frat stupid now's the time" Megas said.

"What are you thinking? Whatever it is, I won't allow it, we can't afford to lose anyone here!" Kimberly said.

"Ha! Lose? Me? You really don't know Golems do you? We never lose we just allow ourselves to die from boredom" Megas cockily explained.

"Damn it, stop talking, and keep shooting!" Sasha said.

"Go team go! Yay, yay, yay!" Peachy cheered them on.

"Doesn't a cheerleader's cheer only work during battles?" Limbo wondered.

"I don't know, I'm feeling pretty pumped!" Berry Melon assured.

"Come on, hit, hi~t" Milky mumbled as she continued to fire undisturbed.

"Meow, mew, meow!" Misha shouted.

Translation: (No position to flank, only one way to breach, worst place to fight)

"My mind's made up, can the blue guy walk?" Megas asked

"I'm fine, but my soul still aches" Lloyd explained.

"Good enough for me! You guys get behind me!" Megas said.

"I said stop, Walker's gonna yell at me if our medical bill skyrockets!" Sasha exclaimed.

Megas stood up, roared loudly, and charged towards the enemy's classroom door, all while being pummeled repeatedly by dodge-balls. He tackled the door down, and rushed inside, slapping three Warriors, and a Fury Fatalist, fun fact: a slap from a Golem is the equivalent of a getting run over by a car at thirty miles an hour. The rest of the guild jumped in, but at that point Megas was kneeling, and with more loose wood chippings than before.

"I'm good, no problem, it's like the gauntlet at my fraternity dorm!" Megas assured.

At that point they were now being targeted by an all girl demon group, A red, and Green Mage, a Archer, and a Shaman.

"We need a new approach, we don't have enough medical supplies to support Megas let alone the rest of us" Kimberly said.

"Oh, oh! Hear me out!" Peachy exclaimed.

"As if we haven't heard enough from you" Kimberly muttered.

"I've been checking out your ghost, and I just came up with the coolest plan, that will so totally work" Peachy said.

"I'm shaking with excitement" Limbo mumbled.

"Send him back to the class we were just in, have him go through the wall, and scare the girls out of the classroom, or at the very least distract them long enough for us to crash their party!" Peachy explained.

"I like the crash the party part" Megas said.

"Except our ghost is the opposite of scary" Sasha explained.

"He couldn't scare a fly" Milky added.

"Hello~ right here you kno~w" Limbo moaned.

"Well I don't care what you guys say, I think our neighborhood spirit here has what it takes. Who's the ghost with the most? You are, who's the scare who walks on air? You are! Who's the-" Peachy cheered.

"Alright, I'll do my best..." Limbo said as he zipped through no man's land-or hallway, and retreated back to their old class hideout.

"...you just want to draw their attacks on Limbo, and rush in when they do" Kimberly realized.

"Ouch! When you say it like that, you make me sound really cold-which I'm not, I'm hot...as in my body temperature is slightly higher than normal" Peachy sort of answered.

"Boo!-ah! Ow-oh!" Limbo was heard shouting when his poking head was struck several times by dodge-balls.

"That's our cue, rush!" Sasha exclaimed.

Megas snapping out of his several beatings rushed as their living battering ram, and knocked the barricaded door down, though Milky, Sasha, and Peachy jumped through gaps in the barricaded windows with graceful ease. Sasha managed to shot down the Archer mid air, while Milky opened fire on the Red, and Green Mages the moment she landed while Peachy twirled her Spear one rotation, then swung it sideways hitting the Shaman on her left side, and sending her flying onto the opposite wall toward the right. They then moved behind whatever cover they could find, as a wave of dodge-balls erupted from the next class.

"That's another one down, just one more to go!" Peachy cheerfully exclaimed.

"How's Limbo?" Berry Melon curiously asked

"...He's dead" Milky proclaimed.

There was a moment of silence...

"Yes we know he's dead, how's his physical condition?" Sasha asked.

"Several beatings, and knocked out cold" Milky reiterated.

"A ghost that can't scare, or even avoid physical abuse, even after just going through a wall...he still needs training" Kimberly stated.

"I suppose a pep talk isn't going to work on him?" Peachy wondered.

"Not in his state, he's down for the count" Milky said.

"Crud, but what's a war without a couple casualties? We gotta keep pushing" Sasha said.

"I'm actually impressed at how serious you've become right now, I thought for sure your breasts were bigger than your brain" Kimberly half joked.

"Well you know, as the chosen leader, and not you. I gotta step up, besides, the more of you guys still running around the larger the demon shield I'll have" Sasha said.

"Spoken like a true demon, without any shame" Peachy complimented.

"I'm not a very good shield, I'm too small, cuddly, and wuddly" Berry Melon reminded.

"I'll do anything if you dare me to" Megas said.

"Great! That's the kind of support I need in the rest of you, and I say, stop talking, and fire back already!" Sasha exclaimed

Milky, Kimberly, Berry Melon, and Lloyd did so, each of them firing through their own respective weapons. Both sides neither winning, or losing, but suppressing, holding off the other until a victor is declared, and after several minutes of this, it was quite obvious.

"If we don't finish this soon, all the good tea will be sold out" Kimberly said.

"Guess I gotta take one for the team again" Megas said, though he sounded more excited rather than upset.

"Ugh! I hate doing the same thing twice, can we at least mix it up?" Peachy said.

"Hm~" Sasha hummed.

"Well?" Kimberly impatiently asked.

"I got nothing, We did what we could with what we got" Sasha concluded.

"Then that just gives us with one obvious solution" Peachy said.

Several minutes later

"Release me this instant! Being tied to this behemoth isn't going to do anything!" Kimberly shouted angrily as they put the finishing touches on the knots keeping the rope tied to Megas's right arm.

"This is either the stupidest idea I've heard from you yet, or the best, they'll never see it coming" Sasha said.

"I like my plan too" Peachy said.

"You're only saying that because you two are the only ones not tied to him!" Milky cried out tied to his left arm.

"I think we could have found a better helmet for him rather than Misha" Sasha figured.

"Meo~w!" Misha yelped

Translation: (You're gonna wish you were dead when I'm through with you gunslinger)

"Why is Limbo the only exception?" Lloyd asked from Megas's back

"Yeah! He's missing all this fun!" Berry Melon exclaimed from next to Lloyd

"Well what can someone out cold do?" Sasha asked them.

"What can an Archer do with her hands tied do?" Kimberly countered.

"I have mixed feeling about this, mostly just thinking how awesome this is!" Megas said.

"Alright, then if it helps you out just pretend there's a kegger with your name on it, in gold" Sasha adviced.

"Oh~ yeah!" Megas shouted.

"You should scream that after you break through their wall" Peachy advised.

"Genius" Megas muttered as if struck by inspiration.

"Last warning, release me now, or suffer the consequences" Kimberly said.

"Huh? Wha? I can't hear you over the-hiah!" Sasha shouted as she slapped Megas' shoulder with her hat.

Megas snorted, then charged like a raging bull, towards the class making up two Petite Orcs, and a Ranger. The opposing team continued to fire even when Megas broke through their barrier, knocking out the Ranger, and a single Orc. The last remaining enemy struggled to bring himself together, but was ultimately struck down by a downward swing from Peachy, right on his head.

"And that's the end of that cheer" Peachy finished.

"Hey Megas you forgot to say 'Oh yeah!'...Megas?" Sasha said.

"Untie me this instant!" Kimberly exclaimed.

"Alright already, freaking princess" Sasha said.

"Let's go again, let's go again!" Berry Melon shouted with glee.

"I don't think you're gonna get the chance, you're big guy is not moving" Peachy noticed.

"Huh...neither is Misha, I guess he must have charged head first" Sasha said.

"Is it my turn any time soon?" Milky asked out loud.

"Okay, so we're down three members, that's cool, we're done here anyways, let's just finish our game, and collect our reward." Sasha said.

"Yes, the feeling of a job well done" Peachy said.

Sasha glared at her.

"Come on, I'm kidding, of course there's a cash reward" Peachy awkwardly assured.

"Well let's finish untying them, and get going already!" Sasha said excited at the thought of winning any reward in general.

"What about them?" Milky asked.

"Well I wanted to magichange with them just this once, but I guess that can wait another day" Sasha said.

"I mean do we just leave em here?" Milky asked.

"They're fine" Sasha said.

"Look good to me!" Berry Melon said

"I feel like I've heard that before" Kimberly said.

"We should at least make them the slightest bit comfy" Milky said.

"...I got it! Bring me the ghost!" Peachy said.

Several minutes later

"You know...in a weird way, this is actually pretty cute" Milky realized.

"Yup, yup, yup!" Berry Melon cried out.

"Won't he be upset?" Kimberly said.

"Nah~ I bet he's one of those gentle giants" Sasha said.

"Are you sure?" Peachy asked.

"It helps if you don't think about it" Sasha said.

With that they left Megas, snuggling Misha, and Limbo face up, on the floor. All three of them too unconscious to do anything about it as the rest of the team went inside. They entered what appeared to be the auditorium, randomly built in place for reasons unknown, the seats were empty, the stage lit with several bright spotlights, and only partially filthy. Sitting at the center of the stage was a purple flag with no emblem, no marking of any kind, a rushed object created not to last, or to be remembered.

"Jackpot" Sasha said rushing towards it, while the rest followed.

"Not so fast!" A young boy shouted. From behind the stage to the left.

A Red Skull, a Green Mage, two Wind Spinners, a Ronin, a Heretic, and Magic Knight lined lined up in one lines of four, and a second of three, sashes on several parts of their bodies has them identified as the red team.

"This wasn't in my calculations, this room was suppose to be empty of all enemies" the Red Skull said.

"Ca~lucitaion?" Berry Melon poorly repeated.

"My plan was foolproof, everything in my studies, and theories lead me to this absolute victory, and yet here you are, a paradox in my plans" the Red Skull said.

"Enough blabber, we're here for the flag, so if you would be so kindly as to get lost. I would appreciate it handsome-*wink*" Sasha complimented.

"You're the completely wrong class to think you can get anything out of me like that. Talk about poor strategy" the Red Skull mocked.

"Okay, I'm bored, let's just fight for it!" Sasha said jumping towards the stage followed by the rest of her team.

"We out-level you, and I'm clearly the better strategist too! Can you be any worse of a leader" the Red Skull added.

"I don't need no strategy, or numbers...or good team" Sasha said.

"Thanks for that, really brought our spirits up" Lloyd mumbled sarcastically.

"My gut tells me we can beat you, and that's all the proof I need that we'll win!" Sasha said.

"Let's just get this battle over with, I shall use 'contingency plan Alpha B'" the Red Skull said.

"Fine, I'll use my 'kick your butts plan'!" Sasha countered.

"Battle Start!" Sasha, and the Red Skull proclaimed.

White squares began to form on the floor of the stage, and invisible barriers just outside the stage emerged keeping them in until the more dominant team reigned supreme. The red team was formed the same way they came in,one lines of four next to the line of three, while Sasha's team were in a horizontal line, with Peachy the only one behind them, more specifically behind Lloyd who was on the far left.

"I do hope you didn't just send us to our deaths" Kimberly said.

"Relax, so it's my first time leading, I'm sure we'll be fine" Sasha said.

Several minutes lat-no, you know what, you read every brutal moment of it

"Looks like it's my turn first, hah! In your faces!" Sasha shouted.

"No matter, changing from 'alpha B' to 'sigma protocol ten, version 2'" the Red Skull told his team.

"By the looks of it, they're about six squares away from us, perfect" Sasha said.

"You forget that, that's also too far for us as well" Kimberly said.

"Not for me, and Milky, you, and I will move a square forward, and hit the first two guys over there" Sasha said pointing at the Red Skull, and Ronin.

"I can do that" Milky assured.

"The rest of you stay behind, and go into defense, see? This leading thing ain't so bad" Sasha said.

"I suppose this could work for now" Kimberly said.

"I kind of want to start a fire~" Berry Melon complained.

"I would like a safer environment to write depressing poems" Lloyd said.

"One, two, three, four. One, two, three, four...huh? I-Is it my turn to talk?" Peachy said.

"...Right, did you aim your weapon at that sword guy yet?" Sasha asked.

"Ready" Milky said.

"I'm good to do to, end turn!" Sasha declared.

Milky fired her shot first hitting the Ronin, and dealing quarter damage while Sasha on the other hand had an advantage over the Skull's weak defense, and three quarter damage, and now it was the red team's turn.

"That extra armor was a sound investment, as planned, now then prepare the first phase of sigma protocol ten version 2" the Red Skull ordered.

The Magic Knight lifted the Ronin, and tossed him four squares forward, soon after that he moved two squares towards Sasha's right, and several squares forward until he was right next to Berry Melon who was on the far right of the line.

"Execute phase 1" the Red Skull ordered

"Blade Rush!" The Ronin shouted.

He cut right through all three of them, Berry Melon, Kimberly, and Lloyd, dealing heavy damage, and sending their health plummeting to near non-existence.

"Execute phase 2" the Red Skull continued.

"Heal!" The Heretic exclaimed.

The red skull was healed of all it's damage.

"Execute Phase 3" the Red Skull added.

The two Wind Spinners walked six squares forward, and were now two squares away from reaching Sasha, and Milky.

"I end my turn!" The Red Skull proclaimed.

"L-luckily were on defense otherwise that would have been the end of us" Kimberly said.

"I still have the ouchies!" Berry Melon cried out.

"It's so much...sending shock-waves throughout my body" Lloyd gasped.

"Complain after we win! Right now he just left his team expose to us now, so Berry Melon roast him, Lloyd freeze his ass off, Kimberly, shoot him with that outdated weapon of yours, and Peachy it's stabby stab time, in that order. Me, and Milky will use our specials on the twins there" Sasha issued.

"Finally!" Berry Melon cheered as she prepared her spell.

"What difference will it make" Lloyd muttered, but did as he was told.

"I'll have you know that my weapon is not out of date, in fact crossbows are fairly popular in the human world so I hear" Kimberly assured as she prepared her special.

"Who's got the stuff we do, we do!" Peachy cheered as she moved into position for a special.

"That's funny, I didn't even know you had a spear special" Sasha said.

"Class world, borrowed it from a gal pal" Sasha explained.

"Makes sense then, alright end turn!" Sasha proclaimed.

"Dance fire, dance!" Berry Melon cheered, blasting a bit of health away.

"Why bother, I'm just gonna be dust in the wind eventually" Lloyd said as he blasted the Ronin with ice, and bringing him to nearly to the half way point.

"I'd like it see a gun do this, Spiral-wait...Twirly Attack? *Sigh, very well then" Kimberly said.

Kimberly planted her bow firmly on the ground, pulled on the string with a arrow already in place, and fired. For reasons unknown she ended up firing herself along with her arrow, the two hit their mark one after another. First the arrow struck, then Kimberly crashed herself onto the Ronin, and a short while later an explosion probably caused by the arrow sent Kimberly flying back to her square, picked up her bow, and allow the next player to attack.

"Gonna strike with everything I go~t, Impaler Drop~!" Peachy sang.

She jumped high above the Ronin's head, and threw her spear downward impaling the demon, and to add to the ordeal a bolt of lightning with well over a million volts hit the Ronin. Soon after that Peachy came falling down on his head, picked her staff out of him, and jumped ahead rather than back to her original square. At that point the Ronin was defeated.

"Tri- wait...Gunman Spirit? Okay..." Milky figured.

Her first shot somehow launched her foe a couple of feet, a second shot added to her opponent's height, a third, fourth, fifth juggled the Wind Spinner higher, and higher. Then she fell to the ground as Milky twirled her gun like a total bad-ass until she jumped into the air, and fired a sixth shot which blew up upon contact, send the Wind Spinner flying yet again, but higher than before, and crashed into the dirt with earth shattering force. The Wind Spinner was damaged to just below half damage.

"That's the spirit, Gunman Spirit of course...sorry" Sasha apologized.

Her special skill dealt more than Milky's, but the Wind spinner was still standing, and now it was the read team's turn.

"Predictable, let's try Beta protocol, twelve" the Red Skull ordered.

Both Wind Spinners moved several spaces, with one standing besides, Lloyd, and another standing besides Berry Melon, both of them already set on attack while the Magic Knight, Heretic, Green Mage, and Red Skull moved three squares forward in a box formation, and in defense as well.

"End turn" the Red Skull said nonchalantly.

One Wind Spinner struck at Berry Melon, then the second Wind Spinner punched Lloyd, both healths dropped to zero.

"N-not agai~*dead*" Berry Melon groaned.

"Sweet death I embrace thee~*dead*" Lloyd muttered

Both disappeared in a ball of light, and it was down to Milky, Sasha, Kimberly, and Peachy.

"Any more bright ideas wise leader?" Kimberly muttered.

"Damn it-I...there's nothing we can do for them now, but we can deal with those two overly dressed tramps" Sasha assured.

"Hey!" Both Wind Spinners shouted angrily.

"So what's it gonna be?" Milky said.

"If we can drop their health to more than half, than one more special should finish them off" Sasha proposed.

"Right! Let's do it!" Milky said.

Both girls moved one square behind towards the same row as the two Wind Spinners.

"What about us?" Kimberly said

"Moved as closely as you can get towards that Heretic before he heals anymore" Sasha said.

"I believe only I have the range necessary to reach him" Kimberly said.

"You guys need me alive, I'm giving you a five percent boost to your stats, can't you tell by the way I'm dancing?" Peachy reminded as she continued to dance on her square.

"Just get over there, and poke the self centered Red Skull" Sasha said.

"Fine, but I'm gonna keep dancing after this" Peachy said.

"We don't care" Kimberly said.

Kimberly moved several squares, and prepared a Twirly Attack on the Heretic behind the Red Skull while Peachy was able to move just enough squares to strike at the Magic Knight with her spear.

"If everybody's ready, end turn!" Sasha said.

"Gunman Spirit!" Milky cried out first.

She struck with everything she got, and it paid through the Wind Spinner fell to her hands, and she got a level up as an added bonus. Then it was Sasha's turn, and her luck paid out was well, her opponent died as well, and a level up was bestowed upon her. Then it was Kimberly's turn, and her Twirly Attack was effective, but not fatal, the Heretic's health was just a scrap, but still enough to keep him in the game while Peachy's stab did damage, it was only just less than a quarter damage. With that their turn ended.

"This is why unexpected events are so troubling, they just prolong my obvious victory...very well then, I'll have my Knight move towards your archer, my Heretic to mend his wounds, and how about you, and I join out attacks together?" The Red Mage hinted.

The green mage nodded shyly.

"Why are you telling us all this now?" Sasha asked.

"Because it'll be the last thing you'll hear, you won't be around to expose my genius plans to anydemon" the Red Mage said.

The Magic Knight did as she was told, and moved several squares towards Kimberly's right side while the red, and Green Mage moved several squares forward, and as close to Milky as possible. The Heretic stayed behind to mend his wounds.

"End Turn" the Red Mage muttered with boredom.

The Magic Knight slashed at Kimberly dropping her health to zero.

"Ugh~ I never got my t-tea leaves~*dead*" Kimberly whispered as the life was taken from her.

"Fire spell activate!" The Red Skull exclaimed.

A blast of fire erupted from underneath Milky's feet, and heightened to just above her head, engulfing her in flames for a brief second, and then it was over, with over half her health gone.

"Wind!" The Green Mage squeaked.

A rapid twister slightly larger than Milky appeared, and struck her with sharp, fast blowing winds, dealing more damage than what you would expect wind could actually do.

"I was suppose to steal's someone's life...no the other way around...*dead*" Milky whispered almost jokingly as her health dropped to zero.

It was now up to Sasha, and Peachy to win this...if possible.

"Is it too late to switch sides?" Peachy asked out loud.

"Much too late" the Red Mage answered.

"So this is the part where you bring out your secret weapon right?" Peachy nervously asked.

"I don't have one" Sasha glumly admitted.

"Well almost doesn't count here, we're screwed" Peachy said.

"Sasha!" An angry voice shouted.

Everyone turned towards sound of the voice, and practically stomping towards them at the center aisle was a very angry, and familiar Gunner. Behind him were several demons, all of which she works besides.

"O-oh...ah~ Walker! Buddy, heh-fancy seeing you here" Sasha said.

"Maybe for you. You know, when I let you take control of half my squad I expected some screws, but this..." Walker said.

"S-so how long were you watching?" Sasha asked.

"We just got here actually, just in time to see Kimberly kick the bucket, and by the looks of it, it seems as if you're missing more of your teammates" Elfie said.

"Who's on the medical bill?" Walker asked.

"Um~ Lloyd, Kimberly, Milky, and Berry Melon. Sorry" Sasha said.

"Ooah! Many died, glad to be on good part of team!" Peach Basket cried out.

"Who's bright idea was it to stick me with these two, and make me look like a sissy!...Because that was pretty damn funny!" Megas shouted heartily.

"I smell of sawdust" Limbo said.

"Me~w" Misha yowled

Translation: (Just when my rage couldn't peak any higher, you do something like that)

"Cut the small talk! You told me there were gonna be fights, now give me something to hack!" Nina shouted.

"When did she..." Firefly was saying.

"Must have been all the bodies, and destruction we passed, Vodka did warn us of all the things that make her snap" Aegis said.

"We should sing our song to lull her back to normal-" Noelle began

"It always cheers us up!" Isabelle finished.

"We're gonna be fighting soon, maybe that can wait until later" Schrodinger said.

"I see four suckers over there, you four are gonna pay for my huge medical bill...and by that I mean with your lives" Walker assured.

"What is this? Another complication? B-but I only planned for one, leave at once!" The Red Skull exclaimed.

"There's nothing against backup coming to someone's aid" Elfie said.

"She's right...but she had seven on her team, so only three of you can enter" the Red Skull reminded.

"No problem, Nina, Schrodinger, you're with me!" Walker called out.

"About damn time! Let's bust some heads!" Nina exclaimed.

"Hmph! Make the customer do all the work why don't ya" Schrodinger muttered, but obeyed.

The pushed through the invisible wall, and found themselves on the side, and still their turn.

"I'll be taking charge of the operation from here on out" Walker said.

"Good, then I won't be responsible for this" Sasha said.

"...Damn it...okay fine Sasha, you, and I will wipe out their healer, Schrodinger, and Nana, that Magic Knight has to go, and...who the hell are you?" Walker said.

"I'm Peachy, and I'll be your stat booster for your club" Peachy said.

"Uh~ Sasha?" Walker asked.

"What? You said to recruit people, so I did" Sasha said.

"True enough" Walker said

"*Ahem* I don't know what sort of plan allows for so much conversation, but I'd rather win this now" the Red Skull impatiently interrupted.

"Fine let's give baby Red Skull here what he wants" Walker mocked.

"Mocking me will do nothing, I have trained my mind to resist such childish remarks" the Red Skull stated.

"Whatever, get into positions, Peachy was it? Go help Nina, and Schrodinger with the Magic Knight, you'll strike first, Nina, and then Schrodinger, all weapon skills mind you" Walker instructed.

Sasha moved several squares, and find herself two squares away from the Red Skull while Walker moved in front of her, both of them had their weapon skills aimed at the Heretic. Nina rushed through the squares, and stopped in front of the Magic Knight while Schrodinger forced himself to just enough of a distance that his special would reach, four squares away from the Magic Knight.

"Execute" Walker announced

"Gunman Spirit!" Sasha started things off.

Her gunshots blasted away a huge chunk of health from the Heretic, but it was still not enough to take him down.

"Gunman Spirit? Well it's a cool name I suppose, Bring it!" Walker exclaimed.

His turn was nothing short of overkill, as the Heretic's health was already gone by the first shot.

"You're gonna be begging for mercy from this! Wait, where the hell is my Skull Splitter, and my Boulder Crush!" Nina exclaimed

"Weapon Skills change depending on the Netherworld you're one!" Walker explained.

"Fine! See-saw Axe will have to do!" Nina exclaimed.

Nina launched the Magic Knight in the air with her Axe, then planted it firmly on the ground, and stood on the handle. Once the Knight hit the blade, the force of the landing travel towards the opposite end launching Nina into the air. Then the process repeated several times, each time gaining more, and more height until Nina felt she was high enough to charge herself with energy, and shoot down on her opponent with brutal force. The damage was phenomenal, taking out the Magic Knight in one swoop.

"Hey, she took my job!" Peachy complained.

"You can still hit me, come on! I dare you!" Nina dared.

"No friendly fire" Walker said.

"Well my work here is done, right now I see another cutie just dying to know me" Schrodinger said.

"I thought I knocked some sense in you that last time, you freak!" Nina angrily exclaimed.

"I simply timed it wrong" Schrodinger excused.

"You are so lucky my turn has been used" Nina grumbled.

"You two, get back here, and just focus your attention on the Green Mage" Walker said.

Schrodinger muttered something, and moved several squares toward the Green Mage until he was in her left hand diagonal side. Peachy after retreated also moved several squares forward, but could only move just far enough to stab her with her Spear.

"Well hey there, almost didn't see you. You know, if I had a star for every time you could brighten my day, I'd have an entire galaxy in my hands" Schrodinger flirted with the Green Mage.

"H-hey! Stop that, that isn't normal protocol procedure in a battle!" The Red Skull exclaimed.

"So she's taken" Peachy said.

"Wha- I-well we're-" the Red Skull stammered.

The Green Mage was not able to comment as she was too busy shaking back, and forth while clasping her blushing cheeks, and averting everyone's eyes on her.

"I know that look...*sigh* that's a yes" Schrodinger glumly muttered.

"Cu~te!" Peachy exclaimed.

"Well...this is gonna suck, hope you got insurance. Schrodinger! Weapon Skill...bikini girl who's name I suddenly forgot, stab" Walker said.

"Peachy! Pe~achy!" Peachy reminded.

"End Turn!" Walker exclaimed.

"Twirly Attack!" Schrodinger called out.

His attack while impressive did not do the job, and the Green Mage was left with very little health until Peachy did the finishing strike, and ended her life...at least until she comes back from the Clinic.

"Is it me, or does he look a little shaken up?" Walker said.

"Suddenly I feel like we're the bad guys" Peachy said.

"Hello we're demons! She knew what she was getting into! It's one of the basics of war, paved in bodies, and flooded with blood!" Nina reminded.

"But I don't think she was expecting to lose" Schrodinger said.

"This can't be happening, my plan was perfect, everything was thought out! I promised my team nothing, but absolute victory. I even had the schematics for it, all my work, everything just to end up losing still?" The Red Skull said.

"Didn't expect us did you?" Sasha teased.

"No one expects the...the...uh~ what are we again?" Peachy asked.

"We? So you really are going along with this?" Walker asked.

"You guys seem like fun" Peachy said.

"I-I don't know anymore...I- defense? Attack, yes attack!" The Red Mage muttered

In some sort of freak chance, obviously not planned he stumbled through the squares, and was ready to strike whoever he just aimed at.

"E-end turn?" The Red Mage said.

He clubbed his opponent, and succeeded in missing.

"You son of a-!" Nina exclaimed after being clubbed.

She countered his attack with a fierce critical blow with her axe, dropping his health down to zero.

"Not planned out, what to do after losing...must apologize to her, yes? Maybe? *Dead*" the Red Mage muttered before dying.

With that the team was once again victorious, the grid vanished, and they were rewarded with a generous sack of several hundred HL, and a Pot Lid.

"All that's left now is to grab that flag, and-" Peachy said reaching for it.

Once she clasped it, the school bell rung through the PA, and a speaker was heard.

"This match of capture the flag ended in a Blue Team Victory, look out below for the reward" The voice spoke, a voice that could have been either male, or female.

"What does she mean by-" Walker was saying

But he was cut short when a large sack two thirds the size of himself fell on him, and any attempt he tried to escape ended in failure since the sack was much too heavy.

"That's one hell of a jackpot!" Sasha excitedly proclaimed.

"Ooah~ lucky to win HL, cursed to be crushed by it? Peach Basket confused" Peach Basket said.

"Try not to think about it too hard Peach Basket" Elfie warned.

"Can somebody please get this thing off? Walker said though soon after he simply equipped the newly won HL, and placed on his portable piggy bank

"Are we done here?" Schrodinger impatiently asked.

"Damn it! That didn't last long, give me something else to kill!" Nina said.

"Aw great, she's still hot-blooded" Walker complained.

"According to this manual Vodka gave us, one way to snap her out of it, is through a cold shower" Aegis said.

"That's your cue Isabelle" Noelle said.

"Right Noelle!" Isabelle remembered.

Walker quickly grabbed Nina's left arm while Aegis held onto her right arm.

"H-hey what the hell? Is this how you repay a hardworking employee? If you think it'll be that easy to take advantage of me, you're gonna be in for a lot of kicking, and screaming!" Nina.

"Don't even flatter yourself idiot, you just need to cool off" Walker retaliated.

"I will when you let go of me, then I'll show you how 'cool' I can be" Nina promised.

"That won't work a second time" Aegis said.

Isabelle blasted a wave of super chilled wind which nearly froze the three in place, but they were still moving, though it was more, or less shaking than anything.

"W-w-why c-c-can't you f-focus that i-ice of yours into just one p-p-person" Walker stammered, too cold to feel anger.

"S-s-so cold! C-can someone bring me a b-blanket, o-or something?" Nina weakly asked.

"It'll wear off" Aegis assured.

"E-easy for you to s-say, you're practically in-incubated in that suit of yours a-all the damn ti-ti-time!" Walker reminded.

"Now are we done?" Schrodinger asked again.

"Yes, we can l-l-leave" Walker said.

"This stage never drew in a crowd anyways" Peachy said as she jumped off the stage along with Sasha, Walker, Aegis, Nina, and Schrodinger.

"I have a bunch of questions" Sasha said.

"Just keep walking, and I'll tell you the story as we leave" Walker said.

Walker's Adventure

Walker woke up in a daze after who knows how long. He found himself in a dimly lit room, on a rather comfy bed. He looked towards his surroundings, and saw very little, a large full body mirror was in front of him, and reflecting himself looking worse that usual, but it did not show the stinging pain on the side of his head. On his left he saw a closed cabinet, on his right he noticed a door, and beside it on the door was a wide dresser. A nightstand beside the bed had several scented candles lit which provided the only light in the room, while giving off a distinct smell of something sweet, and fruity. Looking back at himself in the mirror he noticed a long bump on the bed very close to him, he looked down, and recognized it as a body almost instantly seeing as how he woke up to one on numerous occasions. He pulled the blanket out, and saw that it was Nina, the girl he was just recently arguing very loudly with moments ago, and the stinging in his head suddenly spiked as he remembered what had happened.

"Damn you Aegis! I'm gonna show you to respect me one of these days, you'll see" Walker promised.

Nina groaned loudly, moving back, and forth, and groggily woke up in the same daze Walker was in. She picked herself up to a sitting position similar, and turned to see Walker who was also in the same sitting position.

"I blame you for this" Walker announced.

"My head feels awful, I don't remember drinking anything beforehand" Nina muttered.

"Oh yeah, I snapped at you for no reason, and here we are, I guess I was at fault this time" Nina said.

"I! *Sigh* I'm thirsty..." Walker grumbled, too distracted by the stinging in his head to get angry again.

"How long have we been out?" Nina asked.

"Who knows" Walker answered.

"Who brought us here?" Nina asked.

"If I had to guess it'll be Aegis, he's the only one who can pull it off without any trouble" Walker said.

"And I'm guessing it was Vodka's idea to take us here" Nina said still muttering.

"I'll put a wager on that" Walker said.

"I guess this isn't the best vacation is it?" Nina asked.

"Wasn't here on vacation, strictly business" Walker said.

"What kind?" Nina asked.

"...A guild for hire. We make profit by taking in any job we can, and I was just browsing the Netherworld for demons who are interested" Walker said.

"Trying to make a living?" Nina asked.

"No, just realizing something I came up with a long time ago, still far from achieving my goal, but hey, that's why demons live for so long right?" Walker said.

"Maybe...I just counted myself lucky to be alive for another day, only to have to fight for my life as always" Nina said.

"Well at least you have experience which is more than I can say for most of my team. Hell I don't even know what some of them even did before I met them" Walker said.

"...So you have a lot of trust?" Nina asked.

"Not really, I'm just waiting for one of them to screw up...speaking of screw ups, I'm pretty sure Sasha is probably messing up right about now" Walker said

"I guess that means you're leaving soon?" Nina asked.

"What a waste of time today was" Walker muttered in disappointment.

"I kind of feel bad now, for ruining your plan" Nina confessed.

"None of us saw this coming, but I am still pissed I'm coming back empty handed, at the very least I can still place an ad, or something" Walker said.

"We can put it somewhere in our bar, I'm sure Vodka wouldn't mind" Nina proposed.

"Then I can only hope that Sasha failed in her job too, otherwise she wouldn't let me hear the end of it" Walker said.

"Wait! I still kind of feel bad-" Nina was saying.

"You know how weird that sounds for someone like you to say that?" Walker interupted.

"Is it because It was my split personality that did that to you?" Nina asked.

"...Never mind, go on" Walker allowed.

"Well you know, you could recruit me?" Nina said.

"Well I'm not seeing any other takers" Walker said.

"Well I can see why you wouldn't see me as a first choice, I guess if I snap again I could end up hurting you guys by mistake" Nina said.

"I'm dealing with worse, and I didn't say no, grab whatever you own, and get ready to leave soon" Walker said.

"W-wait, so soon, but I need to let everyone know, and-" Nina exclaimed.

"Just tell them through mail, that's the whole reason we have it" Walker said.

"You'll just take me in, just like that?" Nina asked skeptic about the whole thing.

"Hasn't stop me before, and I've giving up on finding anyone in the Netherworld who is the least bit normal, and since you already have battle experience so I don't see why not" Walker said.

"R-really? Well okay, I'll do my best" Nina said.

"And I'll do my best to put up with you" Walker said.

"Will you two just do it already?" A girls voice impatiently asked them from behind the door.

Vodka poked her head from the door with a suggestive stare.

"Don't tell me you're having trouble getting in the mood? After all the hard work I did to set it just right, maybe some music could bring out the lust?" Vodka suggested.

"So that's why my mind is still a bit hazy, well I'm leaving" Walker said flat out, soon after climbing out of the bed.

"If you're having trouble taking off that tight suit of hers, I know where the zipper is" Vodka hinted.

"H-he doesn't need to know that! A-and how long where you listening?" Nina asked.

"We started a little after you two woke up, *sigh* and you two had such a close connection to each other too" Vodka said.

"You say that to everyone-wait...what do you mean by 'we'?" Nina asked.

Vodka opened the door, and there was Elfie, Noelle, Isabelle, Firefly, and Peach Basket all staring with curious, and attentive eyes.

"You five-h-hey get back here!" Walker shouted at them as they quickly retreated upon being discovered.

He quickly chased after, but not before bumping body first onto Vodka who suddenly decided to move right in front of the door.

"Whoopsy! Clumsy me, sorry for the 'accident'" Vodka flirted.

"...Right, can you just get out of my way" Walker said casually moving Vodka out of the way.

"O-oh~ watch out, my body's really sensitive" Vodka gasped.

"Not in the mood, Elfie-no all of you, what the hell were you guys doing!" Walker exclaimed as he left for the bar section.

"Geez, what's his deal, I would have bagged any other demon at that point" Vodka grumbled.

"So, I guess I'll be..." Nina said.

"I saw it coming, you're becoming that age" Vodka said.

"Aren't you the slightest bit concern that I may be quitting?" Nina asked.

"Not really, in fact, I saw it coming. That's why I insisted on making you part time" Vodka said.

"So it's not because I wouldn't participate in any of your...events?" Nina asked.

"Nah, but I would have loved to have seen you try at least one before you go. Oh well, the point is that you're a pretty depressing demon, and I don't like that, brings a lot of bad vibes which is a huge turn off for most folk. You can have fun, and be happy here, but I think hanging out with a larger crowd like Walker's will do you even better. At least better than how you were raised" Vodka said.

Nina had no comment.

"Aw don't give me that look, cheer up! I'm not kicking you out, you can come back, and visit whenever you want, but bring a lot of guys next time pretty please?" Vodka asked.

"I don't know about that last part, but okay! I'll get my stuff!" Nina said rushing for her belongings.

"Wanna borrow my spare lingerie?" Vodka asked.

"S-stop that!" Nina complained.

"I'm just kidding...they're not your size, you still have a lot of growing to do" Vodka said, then quickly leaving before Nina can respond.

"Owie~" Noelle, and Isabelle cried out as Walker was pulling on their ears.

"You two shouldn't be snooping at people like that. You only have yourselves to blame" Walker simply said.

End of Flashback

"After being unjustly punished, Nina joined our ranks, and talked all the way through the dimensional gate" Elfie continued.

"When did you take over the story?" Walker wondered as he remembered he was the one telling the tale from the beginning.

"We just barely made it when they were about to close, but they only had one dimensional gate still operational, as you know you need both sides to be turned on" Elfie added.

"For some reason the only gate still open was Maritsu Evil Academy which was not part of the daily schedule, but since I remembered that you were still there I decided to pick you up myself before you hid any of your mistakes" Walker said.

"Wow, I can't wait for my background story" Peachy said.

"Not really a background story" Aegis said.

"Well I would love to argue like a married couple with you, but I'm still thinking about our dead comrades" Sasha said.

"If they came from our Netherworld then wherever they die they'll always return to our Clinic, but with new technology we can contact that clinic, and have our teammates brought back here" Elfie said.

"Well we're already at the Dimensional Gate, but our Netherworld side isn't showing up..." Walker said.

"We'll need a place to stay then" Limbo said.

"I know where the dorms are! There's always one empty room, or rooms, you guys should totally crash here!" Peachy invited.

"Well take you up on your offer then" Walker said.

"Great, follow me!" Peachy said as she lead the group practically by dancing the whole way.

"Do we have to follow you like that?" Nina asked.

"Whatever you need to do to get through" Peachy assured as the team left for the dormitories.

End of Chapter

_Special Sasha Deal!_

"Howdy y'all! Man do you guys just love out merchandise! I think we broke some kind of record with the last one!" Sasha charismatically proclaimed.

"So many cookies~" Noelle moaned from exhaustion

"So many baskets~" Isabelle added in the same tone.

"But now we're taking it to a whole new level!" Sasha announced.

"Golly gee, whatever could it be...*ugh* who wrote this filth" Kimberly groaned.

"Glad you asked that, because now with our numbers reaching twenty, I think...yeah I'm pretty sure it's twenty. We decided to expand our services to all the Netherworlds~!" Sasha declared.

"But what does it mean for them" Nina read from the script.

"It means that our services now extends to them! If they feel the need to hire us to do whatever the hell they want, then for a price we'll do it! Isn't that right Walker" Sasha said.

"It's not that lenient, but technically you're right, we still have the right to refuse service to anyone" Walker said.

"So go ahead, and sent us a letter, or visit, or do whatever it takes to get your cry for help heard, we'll be here, and more importantly, I'll be here" Elfie said.

"H-hey get out of the shot, this is my commercial!" Sasha argued.

"You should really get your point across soon, we're running out of time" Aegis said.

"O-okay so yeah we'll talk business, and remember the more jobs we get, the bigger our club house grows, which means only more fun for us! Don't you want my therapy room like Walker promised?" Elfie practically pleaded.

"You'll never let that die will you" Walker said.

"You can choose up to five of us to do whatever you please. We don't want you to hog everyone" Elfie said.

"We may not stand a chance against most demons, but we'll do our best to fight too, and other stuff as well...huh? What's that? You'll pay me to make out with Milky? Why the hell not! Come here you!" Sasha exclaimed.

"W-what! N-no get away from me-ah!" Milky cried out as she quickly ran out of the room.

"Geez what a cowardly boy, running from a girl's kiss like that" Walker muttered in disappointment.

"Wanna take her place?" Sasha invited.

"Screw off" Walker grumbled.

"...We've been out of tape on this thing for a while now...you don't care?" Limbo proclaimed.

End of Chapter Entirely

_Yup, Sasha's invitation include you guys as well, but it's not like I'm out of ideas, or anything. I'm just the kind of guy that's always up for suggestions, these are a lot of characters, and I just wanna make sure you guys get to see your favorite character to do whatever you want them to rather than wait for me to read your mind, even if it's just once. You get to chose up to five, and you have until the next chapter to come up with something then I'll temporarily close so I can write down your suggested ideas for the future chapter. Even if no one suggests anything, I'll still write it, but with my own ideas. Thanks for the reviews, support, and most importantly your patience, especially your patience._


	17. Chapter 17

_Chapter 17: Hide & Seek Ninja Style_

_It's awful, just awful!_

_Noelle, and Isabelle: They're making a Disgaea 5!_

_W-what! No! That wouldn't be awful! I'm just saying that this title is obviously a new character introduction, and that I was too lazy to come up with something clever. Enjoy!_

Second Story School Dorm: Walker, Elfie, Aegis, Nina, Megas, Peachy, Peach Basket, Noelle, Isabelle, Schrodinger, Limbo, Misha, Milky, and Firefly

Walker woke up to a twilight afternoon, or late afternoon in a room that wasn't his, it was mostly empty besides a broken cabinet, the bed he was in, and a curtain-less window. It slightly resembled his own room, but without that same feeling only a house of your own could feel. He yawned loudly only to have his own yawn interrupted by banging on the doors.

"Yoo~hoo! Mr. Gunner, we're gonna be late for our trip to your Guild!" A girl's voice bellowed cheerfully.

"Ugh~ who was that?...Oh yeah, Sasha's recruit...damn it, what time is it?" Walker muttered.

He got out of for a quick stretch of his stiff body, then instinctively called out to the bed.

"You better wake up easily this time, or I'll-" Walker warned before he realized his mistake. "Oh yeah...poor sis-well at least I got an undisturbed sleep (by which I mean I wasn't disturbed to see Berry Melon asleep next to me)" Walker muttered, then thought.

Having already being fully clothed he shook the last bit of sleep in his system, and open his door to find himself in a wide, and long hallway with two staircases leading down on both sides. He remembered after a brief trip around campus that it took them near the crack of dawn to reach their supposed stolen dorm rooms for a bit of rest while they waited for the Public Dimensional Gate to once again open.

"Being poor sucks" Walker muttered as he realized he may have to wait for the Dimensional Gate for public use to open rather than having one of his own.

Eventually he saw the first of his teammates to wake up besides Peachy.

"Mornin~" Nina muttered.

"It's evening actually" Walker corrected.

"My body is so stiff right now~" Nina moaned.

"That's because our so called beds were cardboard cut outs of what they are actually suppose be! Let me guess Peachy was it? You dumped us on the worst possible spot didn't you?" Walker said.

"Like, well duh! If we stole from upper class-men we'd be in some serious junk!" Peachy said.

"So we took from the lowest of the low?" Elfie was heard speaking as she opened her door while rubbing her sleepy eyes awake...again.

"They'd put up less of a fight it's like...what you call it?" Peachy thought.

"Strategy?" Aegis spoke out.

"No, no it's something along the lines of...pathetic! There we go!" Peachy said.

"You do realize you're part of that pathetic group now, right?" Nina asked.

"That's why I'm here to bring the cheer back in your lives! Go us we can win! Nippon, Nippon, yay, yay, yay!" Peachy cheered.

"...What's a Nippon?" Nina asked Walker.

"Just ignore it, it'll get out of your head quicker" Walker advised.

"Ooah~ cursed with bad sleep, still sleepy...zzz~" Peach Basket growled softly before slamming her body face first onto the floor

She must have been struggling to sleep all afternoon" Elfie said.

"Well so long as we have to carry just one" Walker said.

"Isn't this a beautiful morning, and the most terrific of days!" Schrodinger cried out as he practically leaped out of his room, almost at the exact same time Noelle, and Isabelle awoke nearly as energetic as him.

"Why are you acting so weird?" Noelle began

"You're never this happy, Mr. Grumpy Pants!" Isabelle finished.

"Oh it's just seeing that an Archer has died just brings my spirit up, that's all, and what's even better is that I'm still alive!" Schrodinger explained.

"Kimberly is your teammate, you shouldn't be rejoicing" Aegis scolded.

"It can't be help, this is how all Rangers act, still not as good as dancer as me though" Peachy said.

"Man you guys are noisy today, let me guess...horrible sleeping conditions?" Sasha's voice was heard as she opened her door, and met up with the others.

"It couldn't be helped when you realize that we got the cheapest dormitory" Elfie said.

"We're gonna bring Kimberly back you know" Walker said.

Schrodinger ignored him

"Who else is missing?" Aegis wondered.

"Firefly" Walker answered.

"I'll get her, you guys do the thing with the talking, and that junk" Peachy said as she practically skipped her way over to Firefly's room.

"We may have lost three members, but it seems as if nothing changed" Elfie said.

"Except with Kimberly gone most of the class went with it, I can barely keep us in the mildly idiotic conversation line" Aegis said.

"Ee~k!" Firefly's scream was heard.

"S-s-sorry! Didn't knew she had such a sensitive body!" Peachy stammered out loud from Firefly's room.

"I-" Walker began

"I don't believe she meant it like that" Elfie finished.

"That wasn't what I was gonna say" Walker corrected.

"She'll be coming out soon..." Peachy assured as she left the room.

"What did you do to her?" Limbo asked.

"Nothing...really I didn't, I just shook her awake a bit" Peachy answered.

"She could have taken that the wrong way, I've been there before" Nina said.

"How many died?" Walker asked.

"I-I didn't kill anyone...they made it just in time before they bled out..." Nina muttered with hesitation.

"Guys the gate isn't gonna stay open ya know, we should get over there unless you wanna spend another day here, which is cool too" Peachy said.

"We're still missing a couple of troops, where's Misha, Megas-" Walker was saying.

"Boom! Baby!" Megas shouted as he busted through his dorm room door.

"You better not do that to my place! That was your first, and only time!" Walker exclaimed.

"Oh~ that was awesome" Megas complimented himself.

"Misha! You awake yet?" Sasha called out as she opened a random dorm room.

A weary Catsaber forced itself to crawl on all fours out of his room, only to be swept up by Sasha.

"Looks like we're not the only ones who had a rough morning's sleep" Sasha said.

"I suppose I should remind everyone that I'm the exception. I slept in mid-air" Limbo said.

"I'm rigid with envy" Aegis sarcastically remarked.

"Yohoo-ho-hoo~" I'm ditching you guys so-o~n" Peachy sang

"Wait a damn minute!" Walker exclaimed.

"I-I'm coming! P-p-please don't l-l-leave me!" Firefly cried out as she stumbled out of her room.

"You're our ace in the hole why would we ever ditch you?" Walker asked

"R-really?" Firefly asked feeling relieved.

"Of course you are a total coward, you pass out often, you can't go a day without screaming in fear, and you're a regular trauma case" Walker declared.

"That was nothing, but negative, how was that suppose to show she's our ace in the hole?" Aegis asked, but received no answer.

Firefly's head sunk fairly low.

"Truth hurts" Elfie said.

"Terribly..." Firefly muttered.

"He~y? What'd I miss?" Milky yawned

"Nothing important, we're just about to leave" Walker said.

Following Peachy, albeit more slowly, they forced themselves forward, all except Noelle, and Isabelle who were skipping just behind Peachy while holding hands.

"You guys actually look like you two had a good night's rest compared to the rest of us even Schrodinger looks beat up even though he's so happy" Milky asked.

"That's because we were both comfy all night-" Noelle began.

"We had each other as comfy body pillows!" Isabelle finished.

"I think I'm starting to see why Eliza did the same thing to you Walker" Sasha smirked.

"Shut up, it's completely different, she does it unconsciously, and it's my fault for forgetting to set up the locks. I can only hope Blank has already done so during the remodeling he was ordered to do" Walker said.

"Am I gonna find out about this soon?" Nina asked.

"Soon, soon, yes!" Peach Basket assured.

"It's still a while before we get there, why don't you guys share your dirty little secrets with me so I can come up with better cheers" Peachy said.

At that point they had fully descended down the stairs, and were about to make their way through a long hallway, the door they needed to go through which would lead them to a hall where the dimensional gate they had originally went through, was on the other side.

"I'm not gonna say anything to you, there's no point" Walker said.

"Then we'll be more than happy to pitch in our reviews about Walker" Elfie said.

"Haven't I been ridiculed enough? As a leader I mean, who shouldn't be ridiculed at all!" Walker said.

"I was merely going to say that you're stubborn with you aspirations" Elfie said.

"...Fine, I'll allow it" Walker muttered.

"It wouldn't matter anyways, I predict we'll go off topic in two, three minutes tops" Aegis predicted.

"I can't rhyme aspirations...except constipation, but-" Peachy began

"You sing anything like that about me, and I'll bury you six feet under. Good luck being heard then" Walker warned.

"It would have sounded hilarious though!" Megas loudly figured.

"Relax, you, and me will have plenty to talk about Walker" Sasha assured.

"Damn you! Why can't you be damned whenever I say so!" Walker exclaimed.

"Me! Me! Peach Basket can try!" Peach Basket volunteered.

"You know, you haven't actually done anything that can be considered a curse, not that I have seen as of late" Limbo said

"You not scare anyone, boring, dull ghost can't scare teeny fly off table!" Peach Basket declared.

"Ouch, not physically of course, since I'm a ghost-" Limbo said.

"We know!" Most of the guild cried out.

"You set yourselves up for those" Limbo excused

"Anyways Peachy Basket do you even know how your cursing talent is ranked? I mean you've been asleep...no wait dead for at least a century, aren't you concern that you might be a bit rusty?" Elflie asked.

"Ooah~ I curse good! Me Shaman! Can only do much as Shaman!" Peach Basket said.

"As in?" Milky asked.

"...Rig slot machines!" Peach Basket said.

"Those things are rigged to begin with, and I'm pretty sure they don't need you for that" Sasha from years of experience explained.

"B-but momma said Peach Basket curse thing, made demon mad, and lose everything!" Peach Basket said, on the verge of something.

"I'm sure she did it herself, or just lied to you, mothers always do that to cheer their young'uns" Sasha said.

"I remember when my mother told me it had been her who's been shooting all those empty bottles when I was little, and not me. I thought I had potential..." Walker remembered.

Peach Basket sniffled to herself as her eyes began to water.

"Aw crap...kid come on, don't start" Walker moaned.

"Peach Basket no good" Peach Basket muttered.

"Fix it Walker" Elfie said.

"Why the hell does it have to be me?" Walker asked.

"You're the leader, her, what does she call you?...Her 'pack leader'" Sasha said.

"Pack leader? Sounds like a bad-ass title for someone like you!" Megas said.

"I'm so glad Vodka isn't here to make a perverted joke about 'pack leader'..." Nina muttered.

"Alright, fine! Listen up Peach Basket...why is it that every time I say her name I feel less manly?" Walker said.

"Didn't even take two minutes" Aegis was heard saying.

"Anyways...ugh, I hate these types of talk. Peach Basket, the fact is that even when you don't curse, or haven't cursed. Just the fact that you're a Shaman brings a lot of demons on edge, haven't you noticed the empty hallway?" Walker said.

"I know I did" Firefly defended.

"He's right! It's still time for class so this place should be filled with demons ditching them, but there's barely anybody here" Peachy said.

"Which is a lot than what Limbo has done" Walker said.

"Apparently green isn't considered frightening" Limbo said looking at his cloak.

"But curse~" Peach Basket moaned.

"You already told us you had those curse dolls in development, and if I wasn't working you to the bone they would have probably been finished by now. So~ yeah just get those things to work, and people can start taking you seriously" Walker said.

"Pack leader~" Peach Basket said with a hint of adoration.

"Pack Leader~" Elfie, Sasha, Peachy, Milky, Noelle, and Isabelle repeated mockingly

"Must...resist. Urge, to. Team kill" Walker grumbled.

"Well the door's just a few feet away, any last minute-" Peachy said.

"No, let's go!" Walker exclaimed.

"Wait! There's something I need to get! Where's the nearest store?" Milky asked.

"There's a Rosenqueen a couple of hallways from here, and a gift shop of sorts through the second door we passed to the right" Peachy said.

"Gift shop? That's stupid, why buy cheap junk when weapons, and armor is all you need?" Walker said.

"I don't know, but I've seen people buying junk so what can you say?" Peachy said.

"...Will you stop moving around so much when you talk?" Walker said

"Can't help it, I have a permanent beat in my head, and I'm loving every minute of it. Oh! Yeah, that's it, come on! Shake it!" Peachy said as she continued to spin, and shake her hips excitedly.

"Cool you guys look at her, while I check it out. I won't take long!" Milky said as she rushed towards the gift shop on her own.

"I like that idea, I'll just keep it up then" Peachy said as she continued to dance.

"We better not get stuck here for another day" Walker said.

"We-still-have-time" Peachy chanted during her dance.

"Maybe we should split up our won HL right now?" Sasha impatiently asked.

"I'm no drawing unwanted attention to ourselves by doing that" Walker said.

"Besides we haven't factored in the cost of the medical bill" Aegis said.

"I-I hope they're alright" Firefly said.

"What does happen when you die?" Walker asked.

"I-I it's not...well because of the contract" Firefly said.

"Ooah! No like blabber mouths!" Peach Basket exclaimed.

"Let just end that discussion right now, before my head spins" Walker said.

"Who's up for a musical?" Peachy asked.

"Not really fond of singing here..." Nina said.

"No one is-" Schrodinger said.

"I beg to differ" Elfie said.

"Give me a six pack, and I'll bring the house down, yeah!" Megas shouted

"Why do I get the feeling you just want to stake your dominance as a dancer" Aegis said.

"Guys! Guys! I'm back!" Milky was heard crying out as she ran towards them.

"About time, what's the deal keeping us waiting?" Walker asked.

"Well it took me a while to find it, but I managed to score some" Milky said.

"What's the score then?" Schrodinger asked.

"This! These bags of tea leaves for Kimberly!" Milky said.

"Why the hell will you go through the trouble of doing that?" Walker asked.

"Well you know...because we're best buds" Milky said.

"But she hates your kind" Elfie said.

"Well I...you know maybe I can soften her up to change her mind" Milky said.

"Still not seeing the actual point, but it's better to get along, than nothing at all" Walker figured.

"Well They didn't really cost a lot either so It's no real lose" Milky said.

"Cost? You didn't steal them?" Aegis asked.

"I-I...uh~...ugh!" Milky groaned loudly when she realized her fault.

"Well we can make fun of you once we get back home" Walker said.

"Right let's go!" Peachy exclaimed as she kicked the door open mid-dance.

The door she kicked lead them to the same hall containing the transit dimensional gate, and three doors to their right, was the same door they took where their dodge-ball exploits first began. As they made their way across the hall, the guild noticed on the opposite side, and sitting on a black bench outside, and besides the dimensional gate room was a Red Mage slumped, and depressed. Next to him was a green Mage apparently attempting to console him with pats, and occasional hugs.

"Is that-" Sasha began.

"Probably, just keep walking, don't make eye contact, I really don't need the awkwardness" Walker said.

The group casually walked through the door-less second hall, all except Sasha who stayed behind to see what else she could sneak a peek at. Though her lips where moving she was whispering too softly so Sasha was unable to hear a thing, but it did seem as if the Red Skull was listening. At that point Walker took notice of their missing Gunslinger as half of his team had already taken the dimensional gate home, while the rest continued unhindered. Even though Sasha was right next to them they paid no attention to her, instead focusing rather on themselves as if they're in their own little world. They were still talking much too softly for Sasha to hear anything, and she dared not get any closer for fear of getting caught, and ruining any chance of seeing something interesting. At last the Red Skull formed what looked like a smile, and seeing this, the Green Mage outstretched her arms, and hugged him once again, the Red Skull reluctantly placed one arm around her in response. They locked onto each other's eyes as if seeing each other for the first time, and almost instinctively they got closer to each other. At the same time Sasha leaned her head closer to them. Their eyelids closed completely, their noses now so close they're touching each other, and then...Sasha was yanked from her peeping spot, and that was all she was able to see of them.

"W-w-wait I was just getting to the-eek!" Was all Sasha was able to speak out when she was tossed toward the dimensional gate by Walker.

He glanced back at the school then as the last one of his guild left he jumped in with them. In the next instant he was back in the familiar, slump of a transit station with the same Archer gatekeeper.

"Welcome back, how was your trip?" Ariel the Dimensional Gatekeeper asked

"She asked us all the same question" Limbo said.

"Exhausting, and costly" Walker answered.

"Glad to be of service, please continue to use our services" Ariel said.

"Up yours too..." Walker grumbled before walking away.

"To the Clinic away!" Megas exclaimed.

"You didn't have to announce that" Walker said.

"I can't wait to see how much remodeling our slave-I mean...yeah slave has done" Elfie said.

"I wouldn't get my hopes up" Walker said.

"Wow this place has a sky!" Peachy exclaimed.

"It's a lot smaller than I had first pictured" Nina commented.

"How much smaller?" Schrodinger asked.

"I figured there would have been at least three roads...not one wide dirt one" Nina said.

"We have enough to work with" Walker said.

"Yeah we have a law firm, a mattress store, and a shop that sells office supplies. What more do we need?" Elfie pointed out.

"While those stores do exist, none of those benefit us in the least" Aegis said.

"As always Elfie is quick to point out useless facts with her pointless honesty, thanks" Walker grumbled.

"Did you know it gets dark at night" Elfie responded.

"(Why didn't I just become a gun for hire~)" Walker moaned in his thoughts.

"I can see the clinic, just hang on for a little while longer Walker" Milky said.

"What good will the clinic do for my troubles" Walker reminded.

"Come on, now you're just over-reacting" Aegis said.

"He's always been like this though" Sasha said.

"Can't help it, you know what they say. Hope for the best expect the worst" Walker said.

"It will be good to see Kimberly again" Milky brought out.

"We can save a lot of HL if we just left her dead" Schrodinger said.

"She could earn a lot more alive though" Walker haggled.

"You should leave all the bartering to me" Sasha said.

"I don't need an expert I already know!" Walker exclaimed.

"We should have a big ol' victory party after this!" Megas exclaimed.

"Party, party, party!" Noelle, and Isabelle chanted excitedly.

"I'll...think about it, now come on, if we don't get there soon, the healer would be too lazy to help, and we'll have to walk all the way over here again" Walker said.

"Isn't she too lazy to help 24/7?" Limbo asked.

"...She has her moments" Elfie defended.

At last they had reached the clinic, as always it remained the same, clean tiled floor, sky blue wallpaper , and several beds on both sides with the counter at the front where Matilda was slouched with a bored expression, an expression she kept even after seeing several familiar faces.

"Welcome to-*ya~wn* nap time..." Matilda lazily moaned.

"No nap time, work now!" Walker impatiently exclaimed.

"Okay, okay, but you owe me twelve hours of sleep" Matilda said.

"I owe you no such thing, bring back my teammates" Walker said.

"...Here they are..." Matilda said shuffling through her messy cabinet to find the guild's new personal document. After which Walker planted a sack containing an unknown number of HL maybe a lot, maybe a little who knows...who cares.

"Take only what you need" Walker said.

"It's always what they need, don't they care about my needs? My vibrating recliner isn't going to buy itself" Matilda said.

"Don't you make more than enough healing demons?" Nina asked.

"I need the HL for medical supplies" Matilda said.

The guild looked around the Clinic.

"What medical supplies?" Peachy asked.

"...So~ you wanted these three brought back" Matilda said

She opened the document containing a single paper with the picture, and stats of Kimberly, Lloyd, and Berry Melon.

"Yes, and recover our health while your at it" Walker said.

"Of course" Matilda assured.

Closing the document she waved her arms slowly, and the air vents let out a sparkling gas of green with a minty smell. At the same time three grunts of pain were heard behind the door behind Matilda, and moments later Kimberly opened the door with Berry Melon, and Lloyd following behind, all of the rubbing a sore spot on their buttocks.

"I thought for sure I would have landed on my feet this time" Berry Melon said.

"Why is it so dark out? Don't tell you took your precious time, I am far too valuable for such a poor excuse" Kimberly said.

"I'm certainly not" Lloyd grumbled on the verge of tears.

"And like that our group is whole again" Aegis said.

"Welcome back!" Noelle, and Isabelle cried out.

"This calls for the celebratory 'Welcome Back' dance" Peachy exclaimed.

"Do it!" Schrodinger exclaimed always enjoying any moment where Peachy struts her stuff.

"That can wait, we're heading for home, and eating" Walker said.

"I could sure go for a cake, or eight!" Berry Melon exclaimed.

"Well be leaving now so you can..." Walker said, but as he turned towards Matilda he saw that she was already fast asleep.

"The poor thing must have worked so hard" Firefly said.

"...The medical records for today show up as a blank, we were her only customers" Nina discovered.

"Well...I got nothing" Milky said.

"Let's just be thankful she does her job" Kimberly said.

"Yeah, let's let her be for now. Besides I like her" Sasha said.

"Because she reminds you of yourself back at training?" Walker sneered.

"Walker, you know me too well, normally that means I gotta kill you, but you're special so I'll let you off with a warning, and just rip you off" Sasha said.

"You'll never be our treasurer if you say stupid things like that" Walker said shortly after leaving the clinic, and heading for home.

"Y-you were thinking of making me treasurer?" Sasha asked feeling rather shocked.

"You may be a pain in the ass, and you rip people off, but you're good with money, there's no denying that" Walker admitted.

"Well I guess I can put my money making skills to work, maybe invest in some stock" Sasha said.

"Well to do that we need HL, and right now we need to expand our place" Walker said.

"So no HL soon?" Sasha asked.

"We should be getting customers soon, we can start then" Aegis figured.

"If we're going to expand the house we should start by building something to relax in particularly a place to enjoy tea" Kimberly suggested.

"But what are we missing?" Limbo wondered.

"A keg? Wait! What am I thinking I've got plenty" Megas exclaimed.

"Meow, meow, meow!" Misha exclaimed.

Translation: (an altar to sacrifice demons on)

"An outdoor bathhouse! That's it!" Peachy exclaimed.

"Good thing I wasn't drinking something otherwise I would have spat in shock. Did I hear correctly? An outdoor bathhouse?" Walker asked.

"Little cat monster you rule!" Schrodinger exclaimed.

"We have our own private baths, just use those" Walker reminded.

"Those are for showering, not relaxing" Elfie said.

"Are you really for this idea?" Walker said.

"Well whatever reason should I not be, an outdoor private bath house just for us would look great, and it's very medical-ish" Elfie said.

"It will severely cut back from your therapy room" Walker reminded.

"Boo~ outdoor bathhouse is a terrible idea!" Elfie suddenly switched sides.

"Ugh~ hot things really isn't for me" Isabelle said.

"My sister would rather prefer something more arctic" Noelle said.

"Is there a personal reason, or just a Mage color thing?" Nina asked Lloyd.

"Even under warmth I feel cold" Lloyd answered.

"Wrong person to ask" Sasha said.

At that point they had finally reached the edge of town, and began their trek to the dirt path to the woods, where their Guild house was located.

"Oh! Before I forget, Kimberly here I have something for you!" Milky exclaimed excitedly.

"Oh dear I'm not that interested in a dead bird, or rat, or whatever dead animal you cats always bring" Kimberly said.

"Meow!" Misha said

Translation: (My kills are a little bigger, and more shocking that that)

"Well that's nice to now in the future, but that's not it, let me just-*rustle-rustle*" Milky said while shuffling through her many, many pockets she has hidden. "Here it is! Here school tea from the gift shop!" Milky exclaimed pulling out several bags containing several different tea leaves.

"L-let me see those" Kimberly said finding it hard to contain her excitement.

"I didn't know which ones you liked so I just got all the different kinds they had" Milky said.

"Black tea, Chamomile, Earl Grey, Orange, and Spice...all from Evil Academy...I...I don't know what to say" Kimberly feeling touched.

"Well you know, I didn't want you to miss out, since you were so excited at the thought of tasting tea from different places" Milky said.

"Yes except these are all teas I've already tasted" Kimberly proclaimed.

"Oh..." Milky muttered.

"...Still perhaps there is a different in taste since they came from somewhere else. I shall enjoy comparing these to the ones I currently own that came from this Netherworld...I appreciate the gesture" Kimberly thanked.

"Great, did she tell you that she bought those rather than just steal them?" Sasha reminded.

"Don't remind me" Milky muttered.

"There's just some things we do unconsciously, we can't help it. Though we did see Milky as silly for today, it just means that you have to work harder the next time. Turn that frown upside down, and do your best later!" Noelle, and Isabelle defended simultaneously.

"...Did they rehearse that?" Berry Melon wondered.

"Maybe they read each other minds?" Nina whispered.

"Sometimes I feel like us cheerleaders read our minds when we do a cheer" Peachy whispered back.

"There's a light ahead of us, where our guild is suppose to be" Aegis said.

"I swear if those partying Orcs came back, there's gonna be hell to pay" Walker said.

"Partying Orcs? Where, I can outparty an army of those sissies!" Megas exclaimed rather loudly.

"Great so much for sneaking in, and spying, but that's fine, I prefer a face off any day" Walker said as he began running towards the light...literally, along with the rest of his guild.

Upon closer inspection though they noticed that it was not a light of any party, but a light coming from a recently built lamp painted in black with an overcoat of polish to make it gleam almost as brightly as the light it is holding. Several feet they saw the walls of the guild repainted a golden orange wood paint, and sanded to give it a smooth touch. The lawn in front neatly cut, and already beginning to sparkle with morning dew. The bushes, and trees around the building were neatly cut to form curved rectangles making a near perfect circle around the building.

"Son of a..." Walker gasped.

"See I knew this would happen" Elfie proudly proclaimed.

"Should have wager something on this, could have made some easy HL" Sasha said scolding herself.

"Ooah~ suddenly feet aren't stabbed by pointy, messy grass! Feel nice!" Peach Basket noticed.

"This place always looked better on the inside, now I'm really curious as to how that looks" Berry Melon said.

"Guess he earned his two HL for this" Walker said.

"Let's go, let's go, I wanna see the inside!" Berry Melon impatiently cried out.

She rushed towards the building while the rest followed at a power walking pace not taking the time to look at their surroundings more carefully, otherwise they would have noticed to bodies hiding in the shadows.

"I was wondering what was taking them so long-zam!" The Genin whispered.

"Think they'll like our surprise brother?" The Hanakage next to him whispered in response.

"I believe we'll get a certain response, and for the last time sister you must finish your sentences appropriately-zam!" The Genin scolded

"*Sigh* Nin-nin" the Hanakage muttered.

"Let us move into position-zam!" The Genin instructed.

Both ninjas suddenly vanished in a flash of speed.

The front lobby of the room dazzled with a clean gleam that can only be accomplished by the most skilled of professional cleaner. The unused counter next to the hallway door leading to the rooms was neatly packed with office utensils, and several shiny new keys on a recently built key rack could mean that Blank may have answered Walker's wish of actual locks on the doors. The floor was also given a bright red carpet that felt soft to the touch, and warm.

"How long were we out again?" Walker asked out loud.

"About two days give, or take" Elfie answered like a useful secretary.

"Well let's grab a quick bite to eat, and go to sleep. I want everyone to be ready to work in case of a job" Walker said.

"Ice cream cake, here I come!" Berry Melon shouted as she opened the double doors to the dining hall.

The wood floor was polished, yet non slippery, the table had a new white tablecloth, and the chairs were cushioned, almost as if they were completely different seats entirely. The dull wooden walls were decorated with a new creamy white wallpaper, Blank was dangling upside down, high on the ceiling, and supported by a single thing wire on one of his legs with his mouth duct taped, and flailing his arms about in panic. The lamps were polished, and each light bulb replaced with newer one that gave off a white glow rather than the yellow glow of the outside lamp. Wait...

"Blank, what the hell are you doing up there" Walker called out.

He took a step forward, and tripped a wire which caused a series of other wires to respond indefinitely. The end result was Blank falling, crashing into the table, and exploding thereby destroying all his hard work, and shrouding the place in a gray smoke.

"Wha-holy crap what the hell!" Walker cried out, along with several gasps, and shrieks from the rest of the guild.

At the epicenter of the explosion, two shadowy figures appeared behind the thick smoke, eventually the smoke cleared revealing a male Genin Ninja, and a female Hanakage Ninja.

"Well I'll give you credit for the interesting intro, but you get a beating for destroying my property!" Walker shouted in anger, which only just began growing.

"I am Aldo, and-" the Genin began

"You destroyed my dining hall, I don't care who you two are, fix my damn hall!" Walker roared.

"We challenge you to a-" Aldo continued.

"You destroy my property, and then have the nerve to challenge me to something I don't care!" Walker continued.

"As I was saying your group has earned our attention, and-" Aldo continued

"I worked my ass off telling Blank to work his ass off to fix up this place, and to make matters worse he's dead! I just got back from the Clinic too!" Walker continued to rant loudly, and angrily.

The Hanakage whistled loudly with her extremely potent whistle jutsu...okay she pinched with her thumb, and pointer finger, pressed her lips on them, and blew through the cloth draped over her mouth.

"How does she do that with her mouth wrapped like that?" Milky wondered to herself.

"...Adequate-*ahem*-zam. We have been watching your band of warriors for quite some time, watching it grow, and diversify-zam!" Aldo began.

"Actually it's only been a few days, by the way my name is Kelly" the Hanakage detailed.

Aldo was looking at his sister as if waiting for her to finish her sentence.

"Really, right in front of them?" Kelly whispered

Aldo nodded his head once.

Cheeks turning rosy pink she lowered her head, and mutter "Nin-nin". Her head still low as she tried to ignore the several snickers coming from the guild.

"We decided that perhaps you can entertain us in a game of ours that will determine your fate, and to test you to see if you were truly destined to succeed-zam!" Aldo said.

"And why should we care if you think we're worthy?" Sasha demanded to know.

"That's a good question...nin-nin" Kelly said.

"I thought your guild was up to the task, but if you're just going to stand there, and make up one excuse after another, then I've wasted my time with amateurs-zam!" Aldo said

"I've seen this before! A rival fraternity! Frat president take their challenge! Losers have to tattoo their rival's frat name on their chest!" Megas explained.

"...That's not it entirely-zam!" Aldo said

"And I'd like to keep sharp things away from my chest thanks...nin-nin~" Kelly said.

"Afraid they'll pop" The green envy Kimberly commented

"What?" Kelly responded unsure of where she went wrong with her statement.

"Before we go off topic I will ask again, will you take our challenge-zam?" Aldo asked again.

"Since our leader is too furious to respond at the moment we need to discuss this for-" Kimberly began

"Of course we'll play!" Elle, and Noelle shouted together with joy.

"Damn it you two!" Walker said clearly not wanting to waste valuable eating time.

"Challenge accepted no going back-zam!" Aldo said.

"Fine whatever! I needed to vent my new found anger on someone anyways!" Walker exclaimed.

"What are the rules?" Aegis said following everything going around him without a single care.

"We shall disperse from each other on opposite sides of the building, the goal is to capture everyone in your opponents team, and place them under neutral territory...this hall will do as neutral territory. Anyone capture cannot leave the neutral spot, the challenge ends when everyone on one team gets capture, and place here, they are the losers-zam!" Aldo explained.

"So you try to capture us, and we just try to hide from you?" Nina asked.

"No both of us must hide, and capture at the same time, how you plan on doing so is up to you...nin-nin." Kelly explained

"You must not delay your Nins say them instantly after finishing a sentence-zam!" Aldo corrected.

"Like o-m-g is this how you guys sleep?" Peachy asked.

"Normally we eat a delicious meal discuss the day, and enjoy a quiet evening of recreational activities such as rest, or drinking tea. This is something new" Kimberly said.

"This is just like that time my team, and I were lost in the forbidden woods, and the living shadows picked us off one by one...oh no~" Nina remembered.

"Let's us begin we're burning the night away" Aldo said.

"I agree let's get this crap over with" Walker agreed.

"All of you against my sister, and I that seems fair-zam!" Aldo said.

"Confident much?" Peachy said.

"Nyehehehe Peach Basket never curse Ninja before!" Peach Basket exclaimed.

"Your team will be on the front side of your building while we position ourselves on the other side-zam!" Aldo said.

"Wait, how will we know when the game starts?" Berry Melon asked.

"We'll give you the signal, don't worry...nin-nin" Kelly said.

Aldo glanced at Kelly before both ninjas summoned a cloud of smoke, and vanished.

"Isabelle, Noelle" Walker said.

"Yes!" Noelle, and Isabelle sang with twinkling eyes, and an innocent spirit.

"The next time something stupid like that happens, keep your mouth shut" Walker said.

"Aw~" Noelle, and Isabelle moaned.

With empty stomachs, and low spirits the guild drag themselves back outside where the chilly air met them like a slap to the face, Autumn was approaching.

"We're all outside, nothing appears to be happening yet" Aegis said.

"I guess we wait a while then" Walker said.

"I believe I have the upper hand in this, as a ghost I am fairly-" Limbo said, but was cut short by a gust of wind unnaturally shadowy.

"Fairly what?" Nina asked.

There was no response.

"I bet he was going to say something like 'I can go through walls, and people grabbing me', or something am I right?" Milky asked

There was still no response, the team looked around their group, but saw no signs of Limbo.

Limbo Eliminated! 17 remain

"That is unfair!" Kimberly exclaimed.

"They're ninjas, demon ninjas. What did you expect?" Schrodinger mocked.

"I don't need to hear that from you" Kimberly said.

"Everyone gather around, watch each others backs, and be quiet!" Walker ordered.

"Okay, okay so what do we do?" Sasha asked.

"Let's look for those cowards, and get this over with so we can at least get some sleep. We'll search our bedrooms, I doubt they can snatch any of us in such close quarters" Walker said.

"We better stick together, maybe hold each others hands, or something" Elfie said as she suddenly leaned ever so slightly towards Walker.

"We hold each other's hands-" Noelle began.

"No matter what!" Isabelle finished.

"Who would ever do such a thing for the likes of me?" Lloyd muttered

If I have to hold that, thing's hand I'll have to cut off my own hand, and burn it" Schrodinger said while pointing at Kimberly.

"Ah! How rude, I wouldn't touch a finger in your hand if you were the last demon on the Netherworld!" Kimberly exclaimed.

"Enough, both of you, it shouldn't come to that, we only lost one demon we still have the upper hand" Walker said.

"Even so maybe it's not such a bad idea after all. Come here Misha I can carry you all the way through" Berry Melon called out.

No answer.

"...No way, that cat was like dead center of us wasn't he?" Peachy said.

"Misha! Where are you~!" Berry Melon called out.

"Mew, mew~!" Misha was heard crying out from inside the building

Translation: (Damn them, and damn you for not doing anything about it!)

Misha Eliminated: 16 remain

"I'm in here too~" Limbo called out.

"Damn it all! They're better than I thought" Walker said.

"Inside quick ya'll!" Sasha cried out.

"This isn't good, this really isn't good" Nina muttered.

"W-w-what's g-gonna h-h-happen to u-us?" Firefly stammered in a panic.

"We're gonna win that's what! Come one let's headbutt some ninjas!" Megas cried out.

Inside their lobby, and too close for comfort with one another, Berry Melon who was closest to the hallway door opened it, and a flood of demons rushed outward.

"Who's bright idea was it to close the front door behind them?" Walker asked his team.

"Who cares at least here there's no way they'll be able to use the darkness of the night. We just gotta keep the lights on, and keep our eyes peeled for anything suspicious" Milky said.

"What she said, let's see if we can catch them by surprise before they do the same to us" Aegis said.

"Right let's check these rooms, maybe they set some sort of trap for us" Walker said.

"Won't that mean we'll just trip them, and catch each other?" Nina asked.

"Yeah, but at least together like this we can get each other out" Walker answered.

"Who knows how long they've been here waiting for us" Sasha said

"Since there's no back door, we'll start at the very end, and work our way from there" Walker suggested.

The team understood their orders, and followed Walker, each in their own personal pace.

"Hey little blue guy hurry up! You don't wanna miss out on the fun" Peachy said.

"I can't feel fun anymore..." Lloyd said.

Just then the door leading to the lobby suddenly swung open, and in a dash came Kelly who already had her arms around Lloyd before anyone had time to turn around to see what the noise was.

"Later!" Kelly said with a wink.

"No ya don't!" Peachy argued.

She dove towards Kelly, but she had already created a wall of smoke which she used to disappear in, all Peachy did for herself was fall on the newly polished floor, and coughing at the smoke she just inhaled.

"What did I say about sticking together!" Walker exclaimed.

Lloyd Eliminated: 15 remain

"Damn it I can't stand it!" Nina suddenly roared in furious anger.

"*Ugh* this is exactly what I need" Walker groaned in heavy sarcasm.

"You're a crap leader! I say screw all of this, and just hunt down those bastards like dogs!" Nina exclaimed.

"Fine! You can do that all on your own then!" Walker shouted back.

"Of course you would say that! Get a load of the sissy here! So scared he'd rather send a girl to do a man's job instead of nutting up, and doing something about it himself!" Nina said.

"You know when you snap like that you're a real bastard!" Walker shouted.

"Takes one to know one!" Nina retaliated.

"I am so sick of your crap!" Walker shouted.

"Come on sissy boy hit me! I dare ya! It'll be the stupidest thing you'll ever do!" Nina warned.

Both of the glaring each other down while the rest of them watched, it was obvious the tension was getting to them, and perhaps if they feel the need to vent it out on each other, it could be for the best. They already lost one dining hall after, what's a hallway, and a bedroom, or two?

_End of Chapter_

_With heavy heart I'm afraid to say, that my four, and a half year old laptop on August twentieth has finally kicked the bucket, the repairs were just too much of a hassle they said, especially for a laptop. After two paychecks I finally got a new one, but it doesn't feel the same. I will miss you Toshiba laptop, but now I believe I had some jobs requests that needed to be done which I will do on chapter 18, look forward to it. Also if you want you can also submit a job via PM, or just wish really, really hard, and I might hear it._

_R.I.P_

_Toshiba laptop_

_Chapters 1 through half of 17_

_Though the series will continue unchanged, it will never feel the same way without you...we were suppose to finish it together!_


	18. Chapter 18

_Chapter 18: Isn't this more than enough?_

_So it turns out people are in fact interested in getting their job done by amateurs Guild members_

_Misha: Meow, meow, mew, mew, mew, me~ow!_

_Translation: Takes one to know one, newcomer...know your place_

_Ah~ Misha even though we don't know what you say we still get the gist of it. Thanks for that, no one has ever told me they liked the color of my eyes before. Enjoy!_

Bedroom hallway

"Would you just get over this already, this is stupid!" Walker exclaimed.

"I will if you'd just hold still!" Nina shouted as she threw a punch.

Walker's evil eye had seen it coming, but his vision, and his physical strength are not up to par with one another. Meaning that while Walker can see attacks coming, his body still cannot keep up with them. Several minutes into their argument, and both sustained several bruises in those last couple of minutes.

"I swear if you weren't so good at fighting, I would have kicked you out by now!" Walker shouted.

"Just try, and get rid of me! You'll have to kill me, and I swear if I go down, I'm taking you with me!" Nina exclaimed.

"Why do I have to die with you!" Walker argued.

"Damn it just get knocked out already so I can-hey!" Nina shouted as Aegis had suddenly grabbed her by the top of her head with one hand.

"Get the hell away from me-damn-it!" Walker shouted as he attempted to move, but a recent kick to his right shin by Nina had made it next to impossible to move away from his spot.

Now with both angry demons on either side of his hands he directed them back to the team who were enjoying the show until Aegis had put a stop to it.

"Can you tell me what's wrong with this picture?" Aegis asked.

"Yeah! I'm not killing you yet!" Nina exclaimed.

"No stupid, there's something off about our group...maybe? It can't be..." Walker muttered.

Schrodinger, Milky, and Berry Melon Eliminated: 12 remain

"Now do you understand? While you two were fighting, those ninjas picked off our numbers one by one. You're both idiots" Aegis explained.

"Alright I get it now! Let me go, but keep her restrained" Walker said.

"You bastard!" Nina shouted furiously

"Isabelle, would you mind spraying her again?" Walker asked.

"I am not a cat!" Nina shouted

"Time for you to go Isabelle" Noelle urged.

"Right Noelle, I'll do my best!" Isabelle assured.

After the remaining team moved to the sides to allow Isabelle some space she skipped her way towards Nina with her staff at the ready.

"Ready~?" Isabelle said.

"Steady~" Noelle called out

"Yoink!" Kelly was heard shouting as she appeared in a puff of smoke on the far right side of the hall.

She quickly swiped Isabelle before she could cool off Nina, and vanished in a second cloud of smoke to the far left, and instead of crashing chest first into the wall, she vanished withing the cloud of quickly evaporating smoke.

"A~h! Isabelle!" Noelle shouted as she darted out of the hallway.

Isabelle Eliminated: 11 remain

"Hey! Where are you going!" Milky cried out.

But she was ignored. Noelle rushed towards the lobby, and entered the dining hall, on her own.

Noelle Eliminated: 10 remain

"Since the point of the game is to take the other teammate's group towards the neutral area by any means necessary. That too counted as a lose for you" Aldo said appearing in a cloud of smoke in front of Walker Nina, and Aegis.

"That counted? Damn you!" Walker exclaimed.

"I'm sick of your games!" Nina shouted.

Both demons lunged at Aldo, but he swiftly back-flipped out of the way, and vanishing in a quickly getting old puff of smoke causing Walker, and Nina to crash into each other instead.

"Why are you so desperate in trying to cop a feel of me?" Nina asked with no shame.

"Well aren't you feeling high, and mighty! You wish I was you angry freak!" Walker angrily retaliated.

"Say that again, and I'll rip your tongue out through your ass!" Nina said.

"This is getting ridiculous, I am growing bored of listening to you two argue all night" Kimberly said.

"He started it!" Nina exclaimed

"She started it!" Walker exclaimed at the same time Nina had.

"I agree, we've been talking amongst each other, and we feel it is best if we simply split up to have a higher chance of finding our playful ninjas" Elfie said.

"You two can beat each other senseless for all I care, we'll just focus on winning this pointless thing" Aegis said.

"You two stay, we go! Curse to be with you, and you!" Peach Basket exclaimed.

"You guys are a bunch of party downers, wet towels, the violent drunks no one wants to get close to" Megas agreed.

"I-I-I really don't like it when teams fight one another l-l-like this. It's these types of things that get you to l-l-l-lose" Firefly added

"What you two need is a cool island song to extinguish your burning hearts...or was it hot island song to warm your cold hearts?" Peachy wondered.

"In any case we decided by majority vote that you two need to settle your anger issues" Sasha said.

"How dare you guys do all this without your leader's consent! What ever happened to loyalty!" Walker demanded to know.

"You picked us off the streets, we've only been in this guild for a week, or so. These things take time" Elfie said

"Fine! you wanna be like that, go! Don't get yourselves caught!" Walker said storming off toward the end of the hall with Nina who with all the talking lost the will to fight, and eventually cooled off on her own followed Walker, and for some unknown reason, Peachy went with them too. The rest of the team taking orders from whoever feels like it, retreated outside to span the area for a possible ninja hideout, and storm it.

Moments of silence passed as the three waited for the other team to go outside before conversing with one another.

"I messed up again..." Nina muttered in what could only be described as shame with a tint of embarrassment

"Figured that out on your own did ya?" Walker asked

"Well if neither of you mind, I shall begin my fresh island dance routine" Peachy declared, and doing just that.

"I'm trying I really am..." Nina explained.

"...Some of these rooms are still vacant, but all of them should be empty. Strike on sight any moving shadows" Walker said, unknown whether, or not he was ignoring Nina due to frustration.

"On a tropical island with the coconut trees-huh what? What was that?" Peachy asked, not paying attention while she sang, and dance.

"He said to attack anything that moves in these rooms" Nina explained before Walker could yell again.

"Does dancing to a cool island song count?" Peachy asked with a raised hand.

"No" Walker answered flat out.

"Does-" Peachy began.

"Neither does a hot island song" Walker answered fairly quickly.

"...W-well now let's get started then, these doors are first on our list right?" Nina quickly asked before a comedic argument could take place.

"I'll check rooms on the right, you two take care of the left side" Walker instructed.

"Got it!" Peachy exclaimed.

"I'll do as ordered" Nina assured wanting to make up for her faults.

Walker asked of them very little, which gave him little confidence in their accomplishment, but perhaps this would be the moment where they will shine at their brightest.

"Oops! You weren't gonna need this door right?" Peachy asked as she showed Walker a broken lock, and door knob which worked perfectly just a few seconds ago.

Or perhaps they'll collapse in on themselves like a neutron star, and everything Walker holds dear will go with it.

"Just...Nina you open doors from now on. I don't know how she did it, but I'd rather focus on the task at hand" Walker grumbled.

"R-right!" Nina assured a little too loudly.

Walker moved to the side his gun loaded, opened the door cautiously, flicked the light on, and darted inside, only to quickly realize there was no living presence in sight. He quickly searched the bathroom, but it too was empty. Nina seeing no other alternative kicked the door open thinking the Prinny she saw for a brief second would simply fix the door when it comes back. Peachy rushed in...or rather danced in, but at least she was still armed even though she wasn't at all taking their mission seriously.

"Nothing in he~re!" Peachy sang to the others.

"Maybe the rest of the guild is doing better?" Nina figured.

"We lost Megas...somehow!" Sasha was heard shouting.

Megas Eliminated: 9 remain

"Now counting Megas that leaves us with eleven left if I'm counting right" Walker said.

"We should pick up the pace" Nina suggested.

"Agreed let's keep going" Walker exclaimed.

Row after row of rooms were searched all of them remained empty, but pushed even further to find success they continued their goal as a stunning reminder of losing was once again thrown in their face.

"Don't tell me how, but they somehow snatched Aegis too!" Sasha shouted at the trio.

"What!" Walker exclaimed with disbelief

Aegis Eliminated: 8 remain

"Great now there's less than half of us left!" Walker realized.

"And they still have all of their teammates" Nina said.

Walker nodded at the conclusion, and focused back on the job at hand, his room was next to breached, and one thing he noticed was the light coming from the bottom of the door.

"...Guys-no girls, shut up for a moment, stick close" Walker instructed in a hushed voice.

Standing by the left side of the door with his back to the wall, and both girls on his right, he opened the door with a swift motion only those with skilled fingers could possible replicate, and rushed in gun drawn, and aimed to see Kelly curiously putting on one of Walker's hats.

"My room! My Hat!" Walker declared as he opened fire.

Kelly tossed Walker's hat at Walker blinding him for a brief second, enough to jump out through the window behind her she used to get in, in the first place.

"Come on!" Walker exclaimed as he tossed his spare hat away from his vision.

He jumped out through the same window that Kelly used, with Nina, and Peachy following closely behind him. Something out of the corner of his eye caught his attention, and saw that Kelly was already mid jump, high into the air. In the brief moment she was mid-air Walker's evil eye went to work, estimating the possible landing spot a branch from a tree several yards away. He knew it was a long shot, but that was the whole point of his years of training wasn't it? Aiming quickly, and carefully he fired several bullets at the base of the branch breaking it off the tree. A second branch above the previously destined landing branch was withing her reach, if only she had learned to double jump like her brother had instructed her to do...oh well. She collapsed onto a bush below a tree she struggled for a bit trying to stand up, but once she got on her feet, she was already tackled by Walker, Nina, and Peachy. All four of them crashed rather roughly on dirt floor, each of them attempting to restrain Kelly before she did some annoying ninja trick to escape, but it was quickly realized that it was unnecessary.

"I think we knocked her out!" Peachy realized.

"We did attack her rather fiercely" Nina noticed.

"Then I guess we can carry her over to the dining hall" Walker said.

"Right let's get off of her" Nina said.

"Hey Walker, is this your first time tackling a girl?" Peachy asked.

"...Yeah? Why?" Walker asked.

"Because..." Peachy said pointing down.

Following their stares Walker found out that his right hand was clamped onto Kelly's breasts, and still there.

"Well that's to be expected. Forty percent of her body are practically her breasts" Walker said with no shame, or care whatsoever. Though this may be because his mother, and so called friend were both Gunslingers, as well as Berry Melon who was a former Gunslinger.

"...Yeah that sounds about right" Peachy agreed.

After getting off her, Nina volunteered to carry her back to the dining hall to leave her fate at the hands of the rest of the losers.

"I don't mean to interrupt your escapades, but they had just eliminated Sasha from this challenge!" Kimberly shouted with sophisticated elegance.

Sasha Eliminated: 7 remain

"If you can hear me, we're gonna regroup at the lobby! That's an order!" Walker exclaimed.

"You just want to show off our prize" Peachy said.

"A little bit of gloating will show them who's on top" Walker explained.

"You think they'll treat you like a leader after this?" Nina asked.

"I'm just lucky they decided to stay here at all. I doubt that's gonna happen if at all" Walker said.

Walking from one side of the building they reached the front of the building, and entered the lobby where the rest of who was left were already waiting for them.

"Check it!" Walker began showing his guild members a shred of hope of actually winning.

"How do you like us now!" Peachy shouted.

"Uh~ victory?" Nina concluded.

"Ooah~! Pack leader got busty ninja!" Peach Basket stated the obvious.

"I-I thought something horrible happened to you guys!" Firefly said

"Someone open the door, and toss her in the dining hall before she wakes up" Walker instructed.

Elfie did so, and with Walker's help both him, and Nina tossed Kelly inside the dining room.

Kelly Eliminated: 1 remain

"Wait a second...aren't you missing someone?" Walker asked.

"I am right here, thank you very much" Kimberly spoke from inside the dining hall.

Kimberly Eliminated: 6 remain

"She gave herself away when she cried out to you" Elfie explained.

"So then it's just me, Peachy, Peach Basket, Elfie, Nina, and Firefly?" Walker counted.

"So it appears" Elfie said.

"Nyehehe~ blood rushing, heart pounding, can't stop shaking!" Peach Basket exclaimed.

"I'm right there with you sister! Yeah!" Peachy shouted.

"Haven't you learned from Kimberly's, or Sasha's mistakes?" Elfie wondered.

"I just want to go to sleep in my bed where I know it's safe" Firefly said

"I'll try to stay calm, but when were this close to either, winning, or losing. It's hard to control yourself" Nina said.

"Agreed let's finish this before that happens" Walker said.

"Where to fearless leader?" Elfie asked.

"Well splitting up did such wonders for you, but considering how many of us are left, I'm pretty sure we should stick together in this" Walker figured.

"Shut up!" Sasha was heard shouting from the dining hall.

"I just got an idea, but we need to go back to my room" Walker said as he began walking back to the hallways.

"Why? We're not your harem" Elfie suddenly blurted out as if asking for the time.

Walker struggled to keep himself from falling as Elfie's comment felt like a punch to the stomach.

"...Just...trust me...please? Don't misunderstand, even though it looks exactly like it-which is not the case..." Walker said sinking to the point of pleading as he regain his footing, and managed to stand upright again.

"Pervert" Kimberly was heard speaking through the walls.

"*Sigh* why me?" Walker grumbled as he continued walking without turning back.

Hearing several footsteps behind him meant they were indeed following him, but it sounded as if they were not getting any closer to him for some reason. When they finally reached their destination...

"...Stay here, I'll be back..." Walker said as he entered the room, and shut the door behind him.

The girls were silent, unsure of what to say...the sudden awkwardness caused from Elfie's comment left them with nothing to speak about. Eventually though one of them did speak...

"*Yip*!" One of them cried out, and suddenly silenced.

"...Who was that?" Walker called out.

"Firefly" Elfie answered.

"She's not there anymore is she?" Walker asked.

"Nope" Elfie answered.

Firefly Eliminated: 5 remain

"Alright, I got it, I'm coming out now" Walker said.

He came out holding a long piece of thick rope which.

"Ah-" Elfie began

"Shut up! For several reasons, the important one being that, that ninja shouldn't know about this" Walker said.

"So what's it for?" Nina asked fairly skeptical.

"We're gonna tie ourselves up to each other by our wrists" Walker explained.

"Shadow man carry heavy pack members! Heavy as us, he take us all, we lose all!" Peach Basket said.

"Just leave the rest to me. Next destination, outside" Walker said

"Should we get started tying ourselves to one another?" Nina asked.

"Yeah, sure, go for it" Walker allowed.

"Oh~ this is gonna be so much fun, and if we're still tied to each other like this, we could practice getting in sync with one another when we do our dance musical!" Peachy said.

"Just work on getting those knots in as tightly as you can handle" Walker said.

"Alright, I fastened my wrist to your rope...had to get around my cuffs which were hogging most of the space, but the deed is done" Elfie reported.

"Peach Basket did curse knot on arm, ready to pass on!" Peach Basket added.

"Oh, em, ge! This is gonna be so fun! Okay I got it!" Peachy said.

"I got mine all set too" Nina assured.

By this point they had reached the lobby.

"Alright I'll just attach myself to Elfie, and that should do it" Walker announced.

"So where outside are we gonna wait for him?" Peachy asked.

"I know a spot that I remember that should support us...hell it has the word 'support' in it's name" Walker said.

Following his lead the remainder of the guild left outside, and headed toward the right hand side of the building. There Walker motioned his team to stop at a recently re-modified wall.

"There, I know for a fact, one of the main support beams to this building is right in front of us. Nina hack at the wall until I say otherwise" Walker instructed.

"So just to be clear, you want me to destroy your property" Nina said.

"No I don't I just need you to make a hole big enough for my hand to reach in...just punch at the wall" Walker explained.

"O~h...well alright, you're the boss" Nina answered hesitantly.

"How come you never ask me to break any of your stuff?" Elfie asked sounding jealous.

"Because then I'll get pissed off at you, do you really want that to happen?" Walker answered.

"I guess not" Elfie grumbled.

"Good, so Nina, go right ahead" Walker allowed.

Nina nodded in understatement, walked towards the wall, and delivered a fierce, vut concentrated punch which narrowly missed the support beam.

"Is this big enough?" Nina asked.

"Perfect now get out of the way!" Walker quickly said.

As he attempted to tie the several knots he was planning on doing to the beam, one of his wrists, specifically the one tied to Elfie was being yanked in the opposite direction of the beam. Looking back he saw that Aldo attempted to snatch Nina, but the knot securing them has prevented him from doing so, and now everyone was at a tug of war with Nina being the middle girl.

"Whatever you do, don't let go!" Walker ordered.

Seeing as how he couldn't finish tying the knots on the support beam of his house, he had to improvise by forcing his body behind it, and keeping himself in place with his legs, and free arm. Elfie was used her free arm to grasp Peachy around the waist to help her pull. Peachy used her free arm to grab Peach Basket just above her chest to help pull, and Peach Basket used her free arm to have a tighter grip on the rope keeping her tied to Nina. Nina was unable to perform any actions as her right arm was being pulled on by Aldo, and her left arm was being pulled by Peach Basket. Aldo seeing the obvious problem here, brought the obvious solution, a very sharp kunai.

"Ooah! Smoking man cut rope with pointy toothpick!" Peach Basket realized.

"No he won't!" Walker exclaimed.

Drawing his gun with his free hand, but losing some of his grip force he shot at the kunai in Aldo's left hand before he could use it to cut Nina free. This didn't stop Aldo from taking out a second kunai to try again, and this didn't stop Walker from shooting that kunai out of Aldo's hand. The process repeated several times until Walker got sick of it.

"Don't you girls have weapons too? Help me out over here!" Walker exclaimed.

"In the tropical island with the coconut trees-" Peachy began to sing.

"Quit fooling around!" Walker exclaimed.

"I feel like my arm is about to rip off, I wasn't meant for physical tasks!" Elfie complained

"Poke! Poke!" Peach Basket corrected.

"Fine~!" Peachy moaned.

Both Peach Basket, and Peachy brought their spears, and began stabbing at Aldo, but incredibly Aldo had no problem dodging all of their attacks. The team was very confused.

"Elfie explain!" Walker quickly said as he felt his grip loosening little by little.

"He's a ninja! They are next to impossible to hit in a frontal assault, but I hear they have a blind spot when an enemy attacks from the rear. That's your best bet!" Elfie explained as she too began to feel exhaustion from pulling on the rope.

"I got it!" Nina assured.

Using what little strength she had left, she yanked Aldo towards her, gave him a spin to the point that his back was facing the team.

"Now! Let him have it!" Walker exclaimed.

Peachy, Peach Basket, and Walker all attacked with an onslaught of bullets, and stabs. The poor Ninja with his back turned didn't stand a chance at dodging any of them, and by the end of it all, was left on the floor beaten, and bloody.

"Alright, let's take him to the dining hall so Elfie can heal him before he bleeds to death" Walker said.

"We did it! I can't believe we did it!" Peachy shouted excitedly as everyone began undoing their knots.

"Ow~ my cuffs are hurting me more than usual now..." Elfie said.

"I thought I was gonna lose an arm for a moment there" Nina said as she carried Aldo.

"Ooah! War prisoner! Peach Basket want to curse him! Cu~rse~" Peach Basket exclaimed.

"Well see what happens in the meantime let's move" Walker said.

Now detached from each other the group headed back to the lobby where they heard laughter coming from the dining hall.

"What the hell?" Walker wondered.

He opened the double doors, and Kimberly, Sasha, Milky, Berry Melon, and Kelly all having a gossip circle.

"-And that was the first time Walker wet the bed-oh! Walker hey what's up?" Sasha asked loudly

"Set him down over there, Sasha you're a bitch, then immediately heal him so he can wake up. That way we can tell him he lost.

"I-is Aldo gonna be okay?" Kelly nervously asked.

"He will be in a moment, but first..." Walker said

Aldo Eliminated: 0 remain Disgaea Guild wins

"That about wraps up your little game" Walker said.

"Wow you guys actually did it...yay for you" Kelly said.

"What, is that it? A 'yay' you better have a better reward for all the trouble you've put us through!" Walker exclaimed.

"Well as the disgraced loser, and you obviously the tyrannical dictator I have no choice, but to offer my body for your please" Kelly said disappointed as she began to disrobe.

"No, no, no! Cut that out! Whatever the hell Sasha told you about me is not true, let's just wake your stupid brother, and see what he says!" Walker exclaimed before things got into the mature rating.

"You were right Sasha, he did refuse my offer just like you predicted" Kelly said amazed.

"Told you! He's so obvious" Sasha gloated.

"Elfie do the healing before I make you heal two other bimbos close by" Walker grumbled.

"As you wish tyrannical dictator" Elfie said.

"Damn you...all of you" Walker muttered.

Elfie performed her talented art, and cured Aldo of his injuries, he snapped out of his unconsciousness took a look at his surroundings, and realized his defeat.

"This was...unexpected-zam!" Aldo realized.

"Accept defeat already so we can go to sleep, we still have jobs you know, and I think we have just enough moonlight to get a decent night's sleep" Walker said.

"I admit defeat, your team is truly astonishing...the ones that didn't get caught that is-zam!" Aldo said.

"You didn't give us much of a chance" Aegis said.

"Noted-zam!" Aldo said.

"Less talking, more rewarding" Walker said.

"We have a certain amount of HL you're welcome to it-zam!" Aldo said.

"My shopping money!" Kelly exclaimed.

"It was an unpredicted turn of events, and have you forgotten already?-Zam!" Aldo scolded.

"I wanted to buy a normal skirt like normal teenagers...nin-nin" Kelly grumbled.

"*Sigh* you, and your obsession with your age group. If only you put more work in your jutsu rather than your frivolous attempts at becoming this 'normal' thing we wouldn't have lost-zam!" Aldo scolded.

"I-well you messed up too!...Nin-nin" Kelly argued.

"You two need to get along better-" Noelle began.

"Sharing the blame though not always fun is something you must do as siblings" Isabelle finished.

"My brother, and I share the same idea, except I do it more adorably-teehee!" Berry Melon cutely added.

"...Except most of our incidents are in fact your fault, I only blame myself because I should have seen them coming, and done something about it" Walker said.

"We don't always fight you know-zam" Aldo corrected.

"We have a difference in opinion...nin-nin" Kelly corrected.

"If it's any consolation, you two were pretty impressive, didn't think you had the skills to capture a spirit like myself" Limbo said.

"We all did!" Everyone proved him wrong.

"It seems as if we needed to train more-zam!" Aldo said.

"Can we really improve using our old gear? We've pretty much mastered everything we could in our hometown, nin-nin" Kelly said.

"Then a new destination is in order then..." Aldo said then took a good long look at Walker.

"...What something on my nose?" Walker wondered not getting the signal.

"I think he's trying to say that he wishes to train here, but his pride won't let him put it in words" Elfie said.

Aldo flinched.

"Hit the nail right on the head didn't she?...Nin-nin?" Kelly asked.

"If I say yes, can we all just go to sleep?" Walker asked.

Kelly nodded apparently speaking for both of them.

"Fine you're in, there's really no paperwork to make it official-" Walker said.

"Besides the one at the Clinic" Elfie corrected.

"...Besides the one at the Clinic, but that can wait until tomorrow, you two can chose any room you want that isn't already taken, yadda-yadda- welcome aboard now dismiss!" Walker quickly said before leaving the guild, and heading off toward his room.

"Welcome partners!" Sasha greeted before leaving as well.

"So what? We're just forgetting all the trouble they caused us? How are we gonna eat without a table here?" Schrodinger wondered as he too left for his room.

"More curse dolls to make, more work for Peach Basket...ooah~" Peach Basket murmured as she stomped her way out the dining hall.

"Why is it that when more people show, I feel even lonelier than ever?" Limbo asked himself as he dragged himself toward his room.

"Mew, mew, meow~" Misha exclaimed

Translation: (With all these demons joining what point is there in keeping me? Is he trying to build an army)

"Like hope we get a long, and junk!" Peachy hoped as she ballet-ed her way out.

"Is this a daily thing? You know recruiting demons toward his cause?" Nina wondered as she left to find her own room.

"Not really, it's just how things end up" Elfie answered as she left to guide Nina toward a room of her own.

"Aw~ man I can already tell there's going to be one hell of a party soon, my toga is ready!" Megas exclaimed.

"If you are going to do so, then please stay several yards away from me through the entire period" Kimberly instructed.

"I hope with all these new faces I'm not forgotten any time soon...that would suck" Milky said as she rushed out of the room.

"It's up to us to demonstrate true sibling companionship Isabelle!" Noelle said.

"We have to work harder than ever Noelle, but I know we can do it!" Isabelle said as both girls left the room together

"Hope you have a gho~ulish time~" Limbo moaned as he vanished through the walls.

"Well at least I'm still the cutest thing on this team!" Berry Melon reminded herself as she skipped away.

"You'll put a lot of work into this won't you otherwise. I'll make you put a lot of work into this...don't let it get to that point" Aegis warned as he stomped loudly out of the room.

"W-wait for me! I-I know it seems like it's going to be scary, b-b-but...well it's s-still scary. L-let's just try our b-best!" Firefly stammered as she ran away from the room.

"Did we really lose to them brother-nin-nin?" Kelly asked.

"It certainly looks that way sister, but this may be a good thing. Did you see how they hid they true potential by acting like idiots? Zam!" Aldo noticed.

"I...don't think it's acting-nin-nin" Kelly said.

"No I'm sure of it, no team is this ridiculous, and clownish without some form of hidden agenda. It may not seem like it now, but my instincts as a ninja tell me there will be big things in stored for them, and being there with them will give us all the power we could ask for-zam!" Aldo explained.

"I just want to hang out with some gal pals, and talk about boys in a mall food court...nin-nin" Kelly said.

"No! Too much training ahead of us! We must prepare, but first we shall rest with them, zam!" Aldo quickly scolded.

"...Okay" Kelly reluctantly agreed.

With five new rooms to fill it quickly became apparent that they were in dire need of expanding into a second story, but seeing as how they still had enough rooms to keep two more members they figured it can wait. With all the newcomers shown to their rooms the guild was finally able to earn their much deserved rest knowing that now it's only going to get rowdier in the morning. Their rest felt short, but not the worst in their many years of existing. When morning came it felt as if they had just time to blink until the bright rays blasted their vision, forcing them to get up, and start the day.

"*Ugh* those ninjas are gonna work extra hard to make up for this..." Walker grumbled as he tried to get up.

It didn't feel early, no it became clear that he, and the rest of the crew had overslept as he heard the faint sounds of mail being delivered signaling more work that needs to be done. By this point they should be eating...

"We'll just have to get to them done later than usual" Walker figured.

Seeing as how he isn't going to feel less tired talking to himself he proceeded to shower with cold water. Put on his usual clothes, armed himself, and walked out into the hallway. It was far too quiet, obviously everyone still attempting to catch some last minute sleep before getting to work.

"Lazy good for nothings..." Walker muttered.

Heading towards the lobby he grabbed several letters each pertaining to a possible job, or junk mail, or chain letter then proceeded toward the dining hall. Sighing deeply at himself at the wrecked room he went to work doing what he could to make at least a decent table to eat food in. Halfway through his work Elfie came into the room.

"Most of us are starting to wake up" Elfie reported.

"Morning to you too. If you haven't noticed it's already afternoon, and we've just received some job offers today. Make a quick breakfast while I fix this damn thing" Walker said.

"Well it occurs to me that some of our members will refuse to be woken up, if you wish to have them work you'll just have to do it yourself while I go prepare the food, which will take me some time" Elfie said.

"I can already tell this is going to be fun" Walker sarcastically remarked.

"Good luck" Elfie said before leaving toward the kitchen.

Putting his carpentry aside, but figuring that with the added help he'll get from those he wakes up it would be for the best to wake everyone up. Heading into the hallway he saw several of his members stumbling about with weary looks, and drunk-ish walks. The only exceptions where Kimberly who kept her composure though it was obvious she was working really hard on keeping herself upright. Peachy who seemed to have more than enough energy to spare along with Megas.

"How do you do it?" Milky grumbled.

"Years, and years of hard work" Kimberly answered.

"So that's why you're single what a waste of time, but I guess stupid is as stupid does" Schrodinger added.

"I will shoot you in the head because clearly you lack a heart!" Kimberly exclaimed.

"Bro, dude, bro!...Ah I forgot what I was gonna say! Haha~" Megas exclaimed.

"So~ loud..." Limbo moaned as he phased through the walls.

"Eh. I felt worse" Sasha brushed aside.

"Has anyone seen our new-new members?" Aegis wondered.

Soon afterward a door to the far left swung open, and out of it came Kelly.

"I overheard your conversation, and as you can see I'm right here, but my brother is out training in the woods somewhere, possibly near a waterfall for dramatic effect" Kelly answered.

"Bring him here, we're getting ready to eat, and we might have you guys go out on a job to see how useful you are" Walker instructed.

"Aw~, but then I'll have to keep saying nin-nin at the end of my sentences" Kelly argued.

"We all have to make sacrifices" Walker reminded.

"*Sigh* fine" Kelly said, and vanishing in a cloud of smoke.

"...Do you think she can teach me to do that?" Milky asked.

"I don't know, but how about we go to the dining hall, and I teach you how to fix a table" Walker said.

"Uh...no thanks?" Milky said.

"Haha~-I wasn't asking" Walker revealed.

"...Okay..." Milky mumbled as she headed towards the dining hall.

"The rest of you follow her so it won't feel like such a dull, and thankless task, but don't be fooled it is pretty dull, and thankless" Walker ordered.

"*Yawn* I'm still so sleepy that I..." Noelle began

"...have trouble finishing my sister's...bagels?" Isabelle finished.

"No, no sentences" Noelle corrected.

"...Just this once I'll comply to such a menial task only because you achieved victory last night" Aegis reluctantly agreed.

"Can't I just dance it better?" Peachy asked

"No" Walker said flat out

"What ailments will befall me upon doing such an unfortunate task?" Limbo asked.

"None, in fact you could learn something from this, this is me being as positive as possible, but the reality is, you might not" Walker said.

"W-won't I get splinters, what if I bleed to death from one!" Firefly exclaimed.

"Then try not to get in the way while working on our food" Walker answered.

"What can a gho~st do?" Limbo asked.

"Don't give that crap! You're plenty physical enough for manual labor!" Walker argued.

"Meow, mew, mew!" Misha exclaimed

Translation: (Tell me what to do, I dare you to test my mercy)

"Misha is correct...I believe. We still have some members who are not awake yet" Kimberly reported.

"Whoever is awake either help fix the table, or help Elfie fix us breakfast" Walker said.

"Very well, I shall go, and prepare the tea Milky was so graciously clever as to bring during my absence" Kimberly said.

"Ho-*ya~wn*ray..." Milky yawned.

"Well if that's all I'll just...sleep in the kitchen" Sasha said.

"At least try to do something meaningful while you're there" Walker said.

"Well...fine I guess seeing how you handled yourself, I can give you a break" Sasha said with a wink before leaving.

"...Wake the hell up Peach Basket" Walker groaned as he realized the only reason Peach Basket wasn't responding was because she suddenly fell asleep.

"I'll do the honors, you worry about our real sleepy heads" Peachy said grabbing Peach Basket by wrapping her arms around her tummy, and carrying her much like a basket.

Keeping track of who left, and who remains Walker came to the conclusion that it was as usual Berry Melon, and apparently Nina who were still in their rooms.

"(Hm~ which is easier facing Nina, or waking Berry Melon?)" Walker thought to himself.

Moments later...

"Nina! Wake the hell up! Nina, Nina! Wake up! Wake your ass up! And If you can hear me, you too Berry Melon!" Walker shouted while banging on her door repeatedly.

Meanwhile

"Hey Aegis what did Vodka say about waking Nina up?" Firefly asked after hearing Walker shout.

"I believe she said something along the lines of 'don't shout at her to wake up while banging on her bedroom door'...didn't you tell Walker that?" Aegis asked.

"I thought you did!" Firefly said.

"...Oh well" Aegis simply said as he got back to work fixing the table.

Back to Walker

Seeing as how there was no reaction Walker decided to check up on his sister who was still cozy in Walker's bed. He took two steps away from the door when suddenly it swung open nearly tearing out the hinges supporting it. Walker quickly turned around.

"Haven't I've gone through enough broken things in my house?" Walker asked loudly.

"Can't you see I was trying to enjoy a well deserved rest after busting my ass to do your stupid chore!" Nina shouted.

"Ugh! Again! Can we schedule this another time, I got a table to fix, and-" Walker was groaning until a right hook to his left cheek shut him up.

"-And now I'm gonna break you!" Walker exclaimed charging straight at her.

Taking the charge head on she stood her ground, and clasped her hands on Walker's shoulders thus twirling his body three sixty degrees before tossing him backwards. Being sent flying he realized that perhaps hand to hand combat against a hand to hand combat master was not a genius idea, but luckily it appeared as if he was being flung near his room, and figured this could be the perfect way to kill two birds with one stone. He fell head first on the floor, and slid several feet, feeling lightheaded for just a moment before snapping out of it in time to see Nina running after him. Quickly getting to his knees he drew his gun out of it's holster, and fired hitting Nina's left shin, and causing her to fall head first as well.

"This isn't right, there's not even a turn base system here, stop trying to rebel against the system!" Walker warned before entering his room.

"Come back here, and take your beating like a man!" Nina shouted as she struggled to shake off the pain of getting shot in the shin to continue the hunt.

Walker leaving his door unlocked to allow Nina to go inside rushed towards Berry Melon, and picked her up with both hands grabbing her hips like some sort of stuffed animal. As soon as he turned around Nina opened the door.

"Ass kicking time!" Nina shouted.

"Human shield time!" Walker retaliated.

In some sort of freakish version of rock paper scissors the time had come to see who's hand was superior to the other. When Nina's fist made contact with Berry Melon, the jolt of pain not only woke her up, but caused her to subconsciously activate a defense mechanism inside her for stranger danger purposes. Immediately she burst into flames engulfing Walker, and Nina, and setting them on fire while Berry Melon clutched at her stomach as she felt more pain in her gut rather than the flames licking her body. All three of them were in pain in some form, and for several minutes they continued to stop, drop, and roll sometimes colliding into each other in a desperate attempt to put out the fire. Luckily Noelle, and Isabelle were kicked out of the table fixing committee just in time to put out Walker, and Nina before they died, and had to be revived at the clinic thereby costing the guild even more money. The five of them walked back to the dining hall, one clutching at her tummy, two skipping merrily across the hall with their hands clasped together, and two walked bodies that resembled charcoal, but underneath all that layer of soot, and third degree burns were Walker, and Nina.

"...I am so sorry, these snaps don't usually happen so often. I think it's the new environment" Nina muttered in shame.

"...Mouth hurts too much to talk...get to Elfie..." Walker groaned.

"Oh~, and here I thought I wouldn't get tummy aches if I became a Red Mage" Berry Melon moaned.

Upon entering the dining hall they saw that the rest of the guild had already seated themselves upon the barely functioning table, even Aldo, and Kelly were present. The only exception was Blank who is still dead. The food had already been served, and five empty seats with plates full of scrumptious breakfast food awaited them.

"Looks like our store clerk Lawrence actually came through for us" Elfie said.

"Aren't you gonna ask us why we're charred, and in pain?" Walker asked.

"Not really sir" Elfie admitted.

"...Aren't you gonna heal us then?" Walker asked.

"If I do, then you won't learn" Elfie said.

Walker glared at her.

"...But who needs knowledge when you have me right?" Elfie nervously joked.

Without any pause Elfie perform her spitting miracle cure, and healed Walker, Nina, and Berry Melon of all their pain.

"Now that, that's settled let us feast at last" Kimberly announced.

Having a wide selection to eat on their pate alone, the team enjoyed the cold milk, juice, complimentary hot tea, bacon, pork-chops, hash browns, tater tots, eggs both scrambled, and sunny side up, and more.

"I still don't know how so few of you guys can make so much food for all of us" Walker said.

"We're demons, everything is easier for us" Elfie reminded.

"Oh yeah...well if you're looking for a challenge I have several papers here that need our attention, that includes all of you!" Walker exclaimed to get his point across.

"Can't it wait until after we finish?" Milky asked.

"Peach Basket want more meat! Meat! Meat! Or I curse!" Peach Basket exclaimed.

"Alright let's finish our food then, but as soon as that's done all of you will move out, and do these jobs!" Walker exclaimed.

Briefly eating the buffet of food the guild was offered the end result being a mess stacked upon a mess on a mess of a table Walker had time to relay the good news to them.

"Alright let's see...junk mail, junk mail-ah! Here we go a poster" Walker said pulling out the poster which was the only thing that stuck out from the mail.

"So what's it say?" Peachy curiously asked.

"It's a job offer from someone named...Fenrich, who requires a large mercenary army for something that would be explained later on. The pay promises to be good...we only do one job, the briefing hasn't started yet so we can still get there, and apparently it's already been fixed with our local Dimensional Gatekeeper to take us to the location for this one time. The meeting will be held on a large camouflage tent just outside of the Netherworld harbor, and the last part just says 'hail Lord Valvatorez'" Walker read.

"I heard of both of them! They're those rare Original Demons we've talked about before!" Elfie said.

"An O.D.? Whoa! I've only glanced at my O.D back at Maritsu, but never actually spoken to one!" Peachy exclaimed.

"Well ain't this gonna be a hoot, and a holler!" Sasha announced

"Something like this can really bring a lot of positive feedback" Kimberly realized.

"Hm~ well if it's possible to persuade these to our favor we might get government funding for our guild" Walker realized.

"How do you know they're from the government, or anything close to that?" Milky asked.

"Because they're they always have some higher power, and become President, or Overlord, or anything really important" Elfie explained.

"That's true, now for who's going..." Walker said.

"Obviously this is a rare opportunity to represent the guild as a whole to a higher power, you mustn't take it so lightly" Aegis warned.

"I wasn't, which is why I've already chosen you first, and designated you team leader for the time being" Walker announced.

"An excellent choice, perhaps you can do the same for the rest of them?" Aegis challenged.

"Lloyd will join you for magic support" Walker added.

"I have mixed feelings about that" Aegis admitted.

"Support? How do I do that, when I've never felt such a thing in my life?" Lloyd moaned in despair.

"...Just do what he says. Alright Megas, your coming too" Walker announced.

"Aw~ yeah! I'm gonna bro fist me a O.D!" Megas exclaimed.

"Aegis-" Walker said.

"I'll try" Aegis said knowing what he was gonna say.

"Peach Basket, you're going to" Walker announced.

"Ooah?" Peach Basket asked with a mouth full of meat.

"That's right, your job is to just stand there, and make everyone weak for the rest of your team" Walker said.

"Peach Basket want's to poke, poke, curse, poke, curse!" Peach Basket chanted.

"Just make sure you follow Aegis' orders, and you can do whatever you want. Moving on, let's see who else should come..." Walker said.

"I-I could go" Nina volunteered.

"Let's see who else..." Walker repeated.

"I won't let you down" Nina assured

"Hm~ Firefly? No maybe not...we already have a Skull so there's no point in bringing a Mage..." Walker said.

"I know I've caused nothing, but trouble, but I can take a job seriously too!" Nina exclaimed.

"Hm~...Kimberly do you want to go?" Walker asked.

"Okay" Kimberly simply answered.

"Aw~" Nina groaned.

"Fine, fine, you can go already geez. Five should be enough so let's look through the rest of these letters, and see what else we have in stored" Walker at last continued.

"Yes!" Nina cheered.

"Browsing through the rest of the letters I can see we only have two more jobs to do" Walker said.

"Any names?" Milky asked.

"This one apparently comes from a person called Argon" Walker read.

"Argon huh? Well let's do it then, sounds like someone who is extremely intelligent, good looking, charming, and romantic" Sasha said.

A brief second of silence passed before everyone burst into fits of laughter.

"I-I-hahaha~couldn't say that with a straight face-hahaha-no m-matter how hard I tried-hahaha!" Sasha laughed.

"Damn it Sasha for making me-haha! Laugh so hard!" Walker exclaimed while occasionally laughing.

Everyone enjoyed a hearty laugh though Lloyd was reluctant to laugh, more like crawl under the table, and speak poetry about the cruelty of life.

"O-okay-ah~ well we should help him out anyways, I just feel so sorry for him that I can't help it" Walker said.

"Yeah me too, let's help the poor sap" Sasha said.

"Didn't you say you have another one? Zam!" Aldo asked.

"Yeah, yeah I did, let's read on the go we don't want to miss the dimensional gate, and we need to revive Blank while we're at it" Walker said.

With their meeting adjourned the Guild stood up, and followed Walker out of their home to begin another day of work.

_End of Chapter_

_Haha that Argon guy sure is a loser-wait...aw~. Well anyways hope to reach 200,000 words before the year ends, but I'm pretty confident I'll do it which means more fun, and adventure for you! Thanks for all the reviews, suggestions, support, and of course your patience!_


	19. Chapter 19

_Chapter 19: Guild Work in Progress 2_

_Time to implement their special personalities, likes, dislikes, and traits to build relationships._

_Berry Melon: Eh~? But we still need more playmates! I want more, more, gimme, gimme!_

_Yes, yes I know we still have a lot more characters to introduce, but look at how long it's taking me. It's better now, than much, much later. Enjoy!_

At the dirt trail connecting the guild to town.

"So letter number two...which isn't written in paper for some reason" Walker said looking at the thing.

It was just a wide, and dark green leaf with a glistening blue ink that smelled, and tasted suspiciously like...

"Berry...some kind of sweet berry" Walker said taking a quick, and experimental taste taste.

"Don't eat the letters, at the very least read it" Kimberly scolded.

"I read enough! It says to meet her at a clearing in the woods...not particularly sure where, but perhaps Milky, and Misha might have some clue as to where they are" Walker asked.

"I did a bit of exploring around the forest, enough to know there's no treasure, and it's a waste of time looking" Milky reported.

"Meow, meow, meow!" Misha exclaimed as she smacked her lips in hungry delight.

Translation: (So many things could go wrong in the dark woods, perhaps this could be my chance to be rid of you, and acquire a sacrifice, killing two birds with one mouth!)

"Are you hungry again? We just ate" Berry Melon cutely scolded.

"This person cannot stress in her tasty letter how much she loves nature, so much so she lost whatever space needed to tell us where to go, so Milky you're team leader, with Misha, and whoever else who's interested" Walker said.

"I'm a leader! This is so awesome! O-okay so I choose Kimberly to come along" Milky started.

"Do you honestly expect me to shoot my arrows in these thick woods, and the woods are so filthy, and uncouth" Kimberly ranted.

"Please~ this is my first time, and I need someone I can trust" Milky pleaded.

"And I'm the best you can think of? Very well I shall endure this trek for you this one time, but if I get dirt in my dress, ot get really sweaty it'll be on your head" Kimberly said.

"Indoor kind of lady?" Peachy asked.

"Only indoors" Kimberly answered.

"It's not that bad when you've lived beside it for so long" Milky said knowing from experience.

"Are you fine with three?" Walker asked.

"Well...how about you?" Milky asked.

"...Damn, and I appointed you leader too so I can't argue" Walker muttered.

"Are ya really gonna take what you said seriously?" Sasha asked.

"If it gets them to do what I say in the future then I have to" Walker said.

"What does the other one say? You know the one some poor fool wanted us to do because he's clearly too lazy, and unskilled to do it himself" Aegis said.

"Hm~ apparently it's not really from him, but acting as a messenger for someone else who recently moved here? Apparently this newcomer wanted to hire us, the address is in the letter so it's easy to find" Walker said.

"So it's a welcome, and a favor? Whatever so long as I get paid" Sasha said

"That stung me something fierce" Walker said.

"Ha-ha, anyways hows about ya let me be leader again on this one?" Sasha said.

"Uh~ what?" Walker said.

"Let me, Sasha, be leader again" Sasha repeated.

"You're speaking in some strange foreign tongue I've never heard before, speak English...or Japanese which for some reason a western gunslinger like myself knows" Walker repeated looking clearly confused.

"Me leader, I can haz?" Sasha asked one more time.

"No, Elfie you're gonna be team leader on this one" Walker said.

"Well this is a great step up from being a beggar" Elfie said.

"Just pick who you're taking" Walker said.

"Hm~ Kelly, Peachy, and Schrodinger" Elfie said.

"Oh you poor dear she's become mentally unstable. Did you say you wish to have the Ranger on your side?" Kimberly asked.

"You're a conceited ass you know that!" Schrodinger pointed out.

"How rude! *Hmph*!" Kimberly shouted before turning away.

"Wait a moment, there are only three jobs, what about the rest of us?" Limbo asked.

"You guys can go bring Blank back, look for a construction crew to extend our building, and you can increase our store rank at the Rosenqueen. I'll let you guys handle how you'll do it, but you will do it" Walker said.

"Errand run? Boo~!" Berry Melon complained.

"Boo~" Noelle, and Isabelle piped in.

"There's no helping those type of jobs, and besides we wouldn't have to go through all the trouble if some people didn't kill off Blank" Walker said.

"We needed the amazing intro...nin-nin" Kelly said.

"Indeed a ninja must introduce himself via a huge explosion, and appear in a cloud of smoke-zam!" Aldo added.

"Sounds like what I do whenever I enter a party!" Megas exclaimed.

"That's loud, and obvious though" Nina pointed out.

"Well you didn't notice us the last couple of days before then right?...Nin-nin..." Kelly said.

"You were stalking us?" Walker asked.

"...No, nin-nin?" Kelly responded.

"Tell ya what, if you guys finish early you'll have the rest of the day to do whatever you want, that goes for all of us" Walker said.

At this point they had reached the edge of the town.

"So we have our teams understood?" Walker asked.

Team 1 will be composed of Aegis, Lloyd, Nina, Peach Basket, and Megas. Team 2 will be composed Milky, Walker, Kimberly, and Misha. Team 3 will be composed of Elfie, Schrodinger, Peachy, and Kelly. Berry Melon, Limbo, Noelle, Isabelle, Aldo, and Firefly will be unimportant team 4.

"*Phew* I'm glad it's just a deliver job, it's should be very calming" Firefly said.

"We should start a fire when we get there!" Berry Melon suggested.

"What was that?" Walker asked in a scolding tone.

"I want ice cream cake with sprinkles-*tehee*!" Berry Melon cheered.

"Us too, us too!" Noelle, and Isabelle exclaimed.

"Firefly you're team leader, do what you have to" Walker instructed.

"W-w-w-what!" Firefly shouted.

"Milky since our job is in the woods we'll start our search for clearings here, the rest of you get to your positions, let's go" Walker said as he handed each team leader their respective letter containing their assignment.

With that they waved goodbye, and left into two teams which in turn will branch into four.

Team 2: Leader Milky, Walker, Misha, and Kimberly

"Well besides the clearing that our place is in there's a few I've found over my days, one even had a nice little pond you could fish in" Milky said.

"This syrup is really good, it's warm, yet not too watery" Walker said.

"Are we going to partake of your syrup by any chance?" Kimberly asked.

"I'm almost done with it though" Walker said indifferent.

"Meow! Meow!" Misha exclaimed with a rush of excitement

Translation: (I recognize that smell, and that syrup! By the overlords this will be very comical)

"You can't have any either" Walker said.

"Me~w" Misha yowled.

Translation: (while it's true I have tasted your nectar once in a past life, your reaction will be much sweeter than even the highest grade syrup)

"*Ugh* it feels as if these tree needles, and pine cones are magnetically attracted to my hair!" Kimberly whined as she scurried in a zig-zag pattern for the clearest spots.

"Hats, that's why they were invented" Walker pointed out while tipping his own hat toward Kimberly.

"Anything is worth having to go through this, even hat hair. I demand that you give me your hat momentarily" Kimberly said.

"Now why would I do such a foolhardy thing like that?" Walker asked.

"She needs it more than you, you can live without it for a while right?" Milky asked.

"That's like me asking you to remove your manhood, it's not gonna happen" Walker said.

"I can't have manhood if I'm a girl!" Milky cried out.

"Of course ya are...of course" Walker said.

"Oh look there's a clearing" Kimberly said suddenly.

"But I don't see anyone" Walker said.

"...I suppose this was inevitable, we must search for another clearing" Kimberly simply said.

"So back to the hat discussion" Milky started.

"You have a hat to! Give her yours!" Walker reminded.

"B-but then I won't complete my cat look" Milky excused.

"And without my hat I'm just some half-naked guy with a gun" Walker said.

"Pervert" Kimberly mumbled.

"Stop saying that about me!" Walker exclaimed.

"You shout that, but you don't sound angry for some reason" Milky said.

"I don't know...maybe it's the walking around, keeps me going, and it wastes the excess energy I build up which I use to get angrier" Walker explained.

"Oh, so when you get angry it's because you overheat" Kimberly realized.

"Meow!" Misha said.

Translation: (More training is required apparently)

"Massive amounts of stupidity is also the cause...at least you guys are either smart, or mostly bland" Walker said.

"Hey! You know how hard it is to talk when there's like ten, or more people wanting to have their say as well!" Milky argued.

"Is that another clearing you're taking us?" Walker asked changing topics again.

"Yeah...I'm still not seeing someone, there's a few more left to explore" Milky pointed out.

With that they continued onward.

"So Misha, were you always living in the woods as a wild animal? Those type of Catsabers aren't found quite often anymore" Kimberly said.

Misha tilted her head confused.

"I remember something Elfie once told me about your kind, they usually use their cuteness to take advantage over some sucker to have them take care of you right?" Walker asked.

Misha did not respond, it was staring off into the distance, it's mind swirling, and buzzing. Suddenly the same sepia colored images suddenly rushed into it's brain. A Skull, a Mage, a rockslide, being seperated, and then blank...

"Hey Misha snapped out of it!" Walker exclaimed picking Misha up, and shaking her back, and forth.

"Is that how you help a Catsaber?" Milky asked.

"What do I look like, a vet?" Walker asked.

"No, you look like a grumpy old cowboy" Kimberly said.

"Gunner, Gunner!" Walker corrected.

"Me~ow?" Misha responded to Walker.

Translation: (Who gave the unworthy permission to touch me?)

"Ah! You're talking again, which means you can keep walking" Walker said setting Misha down.

"This next clearing is actually pretty close by" Milky said.

"So is this soft humming we're hearing" Kimberly realized.

"Finally, this could be it let's keep going" Walker said.

The team moved closer, and closer toward the clearing which upon inspection had many more flowers than previous clearings. The humming that was heard was, dainty, and peaceful, which made Walker's stomach lurched as he came to the conclusion that there won't be anything to shoot in this mission. Upon entering the clearing they spotted a very cheerful looking Alraune spinning left, and right to view, and water the flowers. When she wasn't spinning she was bouncing from spot to spot in small bursts, and when she wasn't doing any spinning, or jumping she would do both at the same time.

"She sounds like she's in the zone right now, I don't want to be the one to interrupt her" Milky said.

"It is your duty as active leader to consult with the customer, now do so, or lose any chance of a reward" Kimberly said.

"I don't know, monsters aren't usually known for carrying HL with them. Most of them seem pretty satisfied living off grub, and off others" Walker said as he glanced down Misha.

Eventually though they didn't need to call out to her because she had just noticed a foreign odor that could not come from her flowers. Turning toward the scent she spotted four demons arguing with themselves. The four teammates at that time had also noticed the Alraune bouncing toward them.

"Quick! Act like we're professionals" Milky said.

"It doesn't work when you say it out loud like that" Walker mumbled.

"Welco~me to my lovely garde~n" The Alraune sang.

"We are delighted to be here" Kimberly politely thanked with a slight curtsy.

"I don't mean to sound weird, but are you the one who sent us this...leaf?" Milky asked.

Walker handed the leaf over to the Alraune.

"Why yes I recognize this little one, but where are my words?" the Alraune asked.

"Oh that? Well I couldn't help myself, and I just sort of ate them" Walker said.

The Alraune jumped suddenly, and turned away bashfully.

"Y-you ate my nectar?" The Alraune asked.

"You made it? I gotta hand it to you, that was actually pretty appetizing, sweet, but also a tad bitter for some reason" Walker explained.

At this the Alraune began to blush, her green toned skin was turning a soft pink, and her cheeks even more brightly red than that.

"A-are you feeling alright? Should we take you to the clinic?" Milky asked.

"I-I'm fine it's just that...the uh...nectar he drank was..." the Alraune shyly stuttered.

"Don't tell me it was toxic" Walker said.

"No, no, it's nothing like that it's just that...I-I didn't have anything to write to you with, and I was in a hurry so I..." the Alraune said.

"Spit it out already" Walker impatiently asked.

"That Nectar came from...my body" the Alraune finally confessed.

Walker face paled, his arms felt like jelly, and he suddenly found it hard to keep standing. All eyes on him, except for the Alraune who proceeded to blush even more so while turning frantically away. Before something could be said, Walker ran with what little strength he had left to a thick bush in order to expel the juice he just ignorantly drank.

"W-wait! I mean it's not what it looks like really, b-but it's still kind of embarrassing" the Alraune said.

"How so?" Milky asked.

"W-well this is the first time I let somebody else taste me" the Alraune reluctantly confessed.

"Ah hell why can't I puke this out!" Walker was heard crying loudly.

"Pervert" Kimberly muttered.

At the town

"We shake it to the le~ft, we shake it to the ri~ght, and then shake more, and more, and party every ni~ght!" Peachy sang.

"...Do whatever you want we're not joining you" Aegis reminded.

"We Shake it to the le~ft, we shake it to the ri~ight!" Noelle, Isabelle, and Berry Melon sang.

"I-Is this what normal casual demons do? Should I join too?...Nin-nin" Kelly asked.

"We have more than enough awkward stares at us as it is. I-it's frightening" Firefly paniced.

"It's nothing to be scared of...constant bombardment of explosives hitting near your trench, the splash of mud, and blood slapping your face every few minutes...I...*sigh* so are we there yet?" Nina asked calming down.

"The building is near here somewhere, the details in this letter tells us the newcomer is seclusive, and previous interactions have proven...complicated?" Elfie read.

"Well isn't that mysterious, and spo~oky" Limbo moaned.

"This is it, we're gonna end up in some horrible nightmare never to be heard from, oh what cruel fate we're crashing into" Lloyd groaned.

"You need something to loosen up, hang on for just a while longer little buddy the first bar we see I'm taking you drinking!" Megas exclaimed.

"Actually I'd prefer it we drink after we accomplished our mission" Aegis said.

"Spirit lift Peach Basket up! Make me make many curses!" Peach Basket exclaimed.

"You're a strange little girl, I kind of wonder how my Netherworld will be like with all of you running around" Nina said.

"Better off" Everyone else said.

"Ooah~" Peach Basket grumbled softly.

"Well ignoring what I said just now. If beauty was time you'd be eternity" Schrodinger said.

"Ooah~ me curse you..." Peach Basket mumbled with no real feeling put into it.

As the began to walk past a particular building on their left side, a metal hand connected to a metal spring shot out of a square hole in the door, and clutched at Schrodinger's skull, and began to pull him towards the house.

"No, no, no!" Schrodinger shouted.

"Wow, Peach Basket actually did curse someone..." Limbo said.

"Ooah!" Peach Basket exclaimed triumphantly.

"...Should we help him?" Nina asked.

"Well he isn't that far away, I guess he's worth the several feet to help him" Elfie said.

Walking the treacherous thirteen feet to reach Schrodinger the group at last made it, in time to see Schrodinger's body slam back, and forth repeatedly against the wooden door.

"Schrodinger, that's not how you knock on a door" Elfie reminded.

"I-*wham*-know-*wham*-that-*wham*!" Schrodinger assured as the process continued.

"Um...excuse me, but could you stop slamming our teammate on your door like that?" Elfie called out.

For a moment the slamming continued, but eventually it ceased, and the metal robotic hand released Schrodinger, and retreated back inside. Moments later a loud scurrying noise, and the sound of objects falling could be heard.

"When I get my hands on whoever did this I'll-" Schrodinger was saying.

The door opened, and a Professor class with slight bed hair came out, she shielded her eyes apparently still not use to the bright sun.

"You're so beautiful you made me forget my pick up line" Schrodinger instantly said.

"Irrelevant, calculating my beauty by comparing my physique, facial complexity, my bosom size, waist, and clothing to the rest of the female in this town. My calculations show that I am not the most beautiful, but I do rank highly" the professor explained.

"Did ya take us into account sweet-cheeks?" Sasha asked striking a posed.

"Huh? So I didn't, now I have to do my calculations all over again" the professor said though she didn't sound annoyed by that, but rather excited.

"Well this has been interesting, but we really need to get going" Nina said.

"Wait! My invention doesn't just shoot out the street like this...unless it's Wednesday, did you receive my document?" the professor asked.

"So you're the one we're suppose to be dealing with?" Aegis said.

"Yes! Both the document, and my hand here are my creations, and all my creations are connected in some way. The letter had a very thin metal sheet that magnetically attracted my hand here. It reached out to grab the letter" the professor said.

"But I was carrying it" Elfie said.

"Hm~ forgot to carry the one...thank you for the data, I'm getting a plethora of new info! Now who's coming inside?" The professor asked.

"That will be me, Schrodinger who you nearly gave a concussion to, Peachy the booty shaker, and Kelly our overly sexy ninja girl who's busty body makes for a very poor ninja body when you think about it" Elfie said.

"That was too long of an intro" Schrodinger said.

"I can't argue with that...nin-nin" Kelly said.

"True Ninjas excel no matter what the physical limitations are" Aldo defended.

"And it's a very fine booty if I do say so myself!" Peachy said.

"Not to me, I didn't get nearly as much data from that, but my built in scanners will possibly do the rest, now join me, for rations, I am called Sophie" the professor now known as Sophie declared.

"Well today must be my lucky, don't bother waiting up" Schrodinger said with leery eyes as he was the first to go inside.

"You four do good" Sasha said.

"We'll give it our all...nin-nin" Kelly said.

With the team divided even more the rest of the guild continued toward their chosen locations.

"We shall approach the clinic, and start our assignment there-zam!" Aldo said.

"Then we can introduce you to our Nurse!" Berry Melon realized.

"Matilda? She isn't really much for introductions" Aegis said.

"More like sleeping, and not caring about anything" Sasha explained.

"Man I wish I had that kind of life sometimes, too bad I love partying too much" Megas said.

"If what you say is true, how is it that she can complete her tasks as a nurse?-Zam!" Aldo asked.

"...You're guess is as good as mine partner, all I know is that every time we see her it feels like it's her nap time, or something" Sasha said.

"Dumb luck" Noelle, and Isabelle simultaneously said

"I only caught a glimpse of her the last time, is she really that bad?" Nina asked.

"We can't say that, she still does her job, no matter how unmotivated" Aegis said.

"She can't do much for me I'm-" Limbo began

"You're dead" Everyone finished.

"Am I that predictable?" Limbo asked.

"Let's just say we know what's coming, maybe that's why you're not so frightening" Aegis said.

"Hm~ so I'm too predictable...I can change that" Limbo said.

"You can't change who you are inside, no matter how many masks you hide behind, people will always find your true self, but no one will ever answer your call for help" Lloyd said.

"That my cowpokes was Lloyd depressing phrase of the day" Sasha said.

"Unfortunately...*sigh* I have many more" Lloyd said.

"Well I don't want to hear them! I look much cuter with a happy face!" Berry Melon said.

"I doesn't concern me in any way-zam!" Aldo said.

"I could use a drink" Megas said.

"Sorry you feel that way?" Nina figured.

"We just don't care~" Noelle, and Isabelle said.

"Not cursed enough! Need always shoes untied curse! Matches!" Peach Basket assured.

"Oh..." Lloyd muttered.

"You're going to have to distract yourself from all of that Lloyd, you need to focus on the task at hand" Aegis said.

"Oh yes, but what's the point of it's just going to end up in a suicide mission?" Lloyd asked.

"I'm sure it's not as extreme as that" Aegis assured.

"I try not to think about it" Nina said.

"Looks like we're approaching the clinic?"

While it appeared to be the clinic there was strangely a lot more hospital beds outside that there should be, and not really placed gently. Most were overturned, or broken.

"So much for peaceful..." Firefly said disappointed.

Running toward the clinic another bed shout out of the building followed by a satisfied laugh. Now in front of the clinic, the could see a Barbarian class, a Togabito Class, and Gargoyle.

"For the love of...not you three again" Berry Melon groaned loudly.

They turned around after smashing the counter, and scaring Matilda even more to see some familiar faces.

"You~" the Togabito known as Ziska

"I see you're still stuck to your foolish ideals" Aegis said.

"Hospitals are a blight on our Netherworld, making demons weak every day!" Ziska exclaimed.

"Shows what you know! I only just met you, and you're already starting to piss me off!" Nina exclaimed.

"I've seen you guys, you're the idiots who can't take a clue!" Megas said.

"Attacking a class that can barely fight back though? Isn't that rather pathetic?" Aegis asked.

"Meat is meat! I like meat while meat moves!" The Barbarian known as Fyz roared.

"Ooah! You miss tasty meat! Better burned! You curse! I curse you!" Peach Basket exclaimed.

"You puny! You eat grass! Meat for demons!" Fyz exclaimed.

"Ooah! I curse you!" Peach Basket shouted.

Peach Basket tried to rush toward Fyz, but was held back by Aegis.

"Hahaha! You two are hilarious! Guess this was worth the trip back after all!" the Gargoyle known as Zanac remarked.

"This isn't our fight..." Aegis reminded.

"He's right, you five need to go to the dimensional gate to reach your destination before your time expires, leave these three to us-zam!" Aldo said.

"I'm gonna mess you guys up again!" Berry Melon exclaimed.

"They look scary-" Noelle began

"Super scary!" Isabelle finished.

"Y-y-yes they are, b-b-but I'm t-team l-l-leader so...I c-c-challenge you to a f-f-fight" Firefly stammered with terror.

"That fills me with confidence" Limbo said.

"Can you manage?" Aegis asked.

"If our lives are on the line we'll have to-zam!" Aldo said.

"Good hunting" Aegis said before carrying Peach Basket who was still itching to fight Fyz, and headed toward the public dimensional gate with his team.

"Nothing, but a bunch of girls, this will be too easy" Ziska said.

"It will only make your defeat that much more disgraceful-zam!" Aldo said.

"Besides I'm not a girl...I think" Limbo said.

W-w-wait I'm gonna help too" Matilda shouted from behind the counter where she was in the fetal position in the corner.

"It won't make a difference, I can't wait to flatten you all!" Zanac proclaimed.

"No talk! Fight!" Fyz exclaimed.

"He's right let's end this, battle start!" Ziska cried out.

"B-b-battle s-start!" Firefly tried to courageously to shout, but failed.

Team 1: Leader Aegis, Peach Basket, Nina, Lloyd, and Megas

"Ooah! Let Peach Basket fight! Let Peach Basket fight!" Peach Basket chanted as she continued to try to squirm away from Aegis grip.

"Relax little one, you'll have your chance again" Aegis assured.

"You sound convinced about that" Nina said.

"I took a quick look at their stats before leaving, they're definitely stronger since last time we faced" Aegis said.

"Ah~ they'll be fine, right now we got our own party to go to!" Megas exclaimed.

"What sorrow awaits us when we return to our home with six empty seats on the table" Lloyd groaned.

"They'll be okay, now that's the last I want to hear of it" Aegis assured.

"I see we are nearing closer to our destination" Lloyd reported though sounded rather depressed about it rather than excited.

Just a few yards away they could make out the public dimensional gate building which was crowding with more demons that normal.

"Sounds like more people accepted the offer than I had first anticipated" Aegis said.

"Do you think we'll have to share our pay with the rest of them?" Nina asked.

"Don't want to share! Want own big meat slab!" Peach Basket exclaimed.

"The only thing I'll share...sort of...is a keg" Megas said.

"That reminds me, you say you're from a frat, but you've been living with us for a while now...aren't you going to return to them soon?" Aegis asked.

"Maybe once the action dies down a bit I'll get bored, and leave. So far you guys are alright, maybe not as loud, or as strong, or could take as many punches as my frat, but still not a bad party" Megas assured.

They made it to the dimensional gate building just in time to hear an announcement from the gatekeeper Ariel.

"Attention all travelers, at the current time, the dimensional gate shall take you to a one time only promotional trip toward a specific point in our Netherworld not previously allowed. This trip is free of charge courtesy of a Mr. Valvatorez, but only for those who choose to answer the call of duty. Further information shall be given to you on the other side, thank you for your cooperation" Ariel was heard through the speakers.

"That's our cue" Nina said.

"That's right we better join them" Aegis said.

"How many do you think are going?" Megas asked.

"By the looks of it, I'd say a little less than the crowd I attracted during my occupy protest" Spoke a familiar voice from behind them.

They quickly turned around to see who was talking, and found...

"Ooah! Loud talking mask man! Phoenix!" Peach Basket exclaimed.

"Is that how you remember me?" Phoenix wondered.

"So you decided to come here as well, small Netherworld" Aegis said.

"That person next to you...I also recognize him as someone else who refuses to talk to me" Lloyd said.

"Meh..." Lance the Onmyo Trainee muttered, still covering most of his face reading a large book on feng shui.

"Am I missing something?" Nina asked.

"I'm clueless too" Megas replied.

"He's a former client of ours, Peach Basket, and Lloyd can tell you more, but for now let's get to the dimensional gate before we're left behind" Aegis said.

Following the rest of the demons they entered the building, gave a slight nod to Ariel on the way who bowed slightly to them in return, and went through the dimensional gate, the ticker on the top read harbor. Though on the other side they weren't inside another building, but rather outside in the jungle just outside the harbor, the gate was a quick to make temporary dimensional gate attached to a cliff, a dirt trail ahead of them lead to a large, but camouflaged tent where the other demons were heading.

"Exotic, can't wait to try the tropical beer" Megas said.

"I'm guessing that large warehouse even farther ahead of us is our target. It's the only large building I can see here" Nina said.

"I can also see several guards at the front of it" Phoenix said.

"You call those Catsabers guards?" Aegis asked.

Lance muttered something too softly to be properly heard.

"I suggest we wait for their report before we make any assumption as to the danger they could be" Phoenix said.

"Fine we'll change topics, how about you start by telling us why you decided to take this offer? This is most likely a government issued assignment, and you wouldn't stop talking about how you wanted to take them down" Aegis said.

"This may be my only opportunity to get close to a higher up, and observe their characteristics first hand. If I have to do a quick job to learn more about them then so be it. Isn't that right Lance?" Phoenix said.

"...Meh..." Lance muttered under his breath.

"Another question, why is he still following you?" Lloyd asked depressingly.

"Because he is a loyal comrade who has opened his eyes to the truth the government is hiding from all of us!" Phoenix exclaimed.

"Looks like his eyes are still closed on that book of his" Nina said.

"He's still been useful to me over our time together" Phoenix said.

Once again Lance muttered something, but with his face still on the book it was difficult to make out what he said. At that point they had reached the large tent, and entered inside.

The tent which at one point would have been spacious was now crowded with one hundred, forty eight demons, no class, or monster was without a clone save for perhaps the female brawler in Aegis' group...showoff. The tent was loud with conversation, mostly questions, and at the front was a tall, and wide podium with it's back hugging the tent. Half a minute of conversations later, and a Prinny emerged through an slit in the tent behind the podium, and stood out enough for all eyes to be directed at it, and steadily becoming quiet.

"Attention everyone-dood!" The Prinny exclaimed.

"We've been paying attention, what do you want?" A loud Fighter class responded.

"N-no, no you're not suppose to respond when I speak dood" the Prinny reminded.

"Where's the OD who gave us the invitation?" A Lady Fighter asked.

"A OD what-dood?" The Prinny asked.

"An Original Demon! Where are they?" The same Lady Fighter explained.

"Oh! Master Fenrich, and Lord Valvatorez at the last minute chose not to brief you, and decided to send me to explain dood. So if you came here just to see either one of them, or someone else...you're out of luck dood" the Prinny explained.

Several demons groaned loudly, and left the tent, once they had left the number dwindled to ninety six demons still staying including Aegis, his team, Phoenix, and Lance.

"So I'm guessing the rest of you actually want to do this, right doods?" The Prinny asked.

There were some halfhearted nods, and grumbles of "sure", "okay", and "whatever".

"Great, you won't regret this doods! Now I can explain what's going on, and why we need your cooperation doods" the Prinny said.

"Get on with it!" Shouted the same Fighter Class.

"I am dood! Now you know how all the Sardines are tax free dood?" The Prinny began.

"You mean the last thing we wanted tax free? Yeah we've been knowing that!" The constantly interrupting Fighter Class shouted back.

"W-well it can't stay tax free, not all the time dood. Sometimes things happen to complicate the process like a band of thieves raiding the warehouse where we store the tax free sardines, and eating them for themselves dood!" The Prinny explain as if it were the end of the world.

"Hey we may be cat burglars, but we would have stolen a lot more valuable things than just sardines!" A clearly offended Thief class proclaimed.

"No, no, it's not Thief Classes that raided the warehouse, it was Catsabers, a whole bunch of them dood" the Prinny explained.

"What's the plan?" A concern Healer Class asked.

"We need to take out the leader, but he has a whole body of Catsabers acting as shields dood. We need to clear out the numbers, and be as loud as possible so that lord Valvatorez, and his team can assassinate the leader, and take back the warehouse dood. Any questions doods?" The Prinny asked.

"Yeah you suck!" The loud interrupting Fighter Class exclaimed.

"T-that wasn't a question dood" the Prinny said.

"I didn't care!" The Fighter responded.

"Well if you don't have any questions then when I open the back side of this tent which faces the warehouse, you'll rush in, and attack, we believe they will open the main doors, and attack in large numbers too dood. When that happens the flanking Valvatorez team will move in, again don't try to think you'll catch a glimpse, you'll be too distracted fighting dood. We'll give the signal once the leader has fallen, now are you ready doods?" The Prinny excitedly shouted.

He was met once again with halfhearted nods, grunts, and positive responses. The Prinny sunk his head, and opened the back side of the tent to begin the attack.

Team 2 Leader Milky, Walker, Kimberly, and Misha

Alright well for starters why don't you tell us your name?" Milky asked.

"It's Maple" the Alraune now known as Maple answered.

"*Cough-hack* it's no use I can't get it out, my body can't reject the deliciousness no matter where it came from...man did that sound wrong" Walker muttered.

"Walker you should join us, you need to listen to her request" Kimberly said.

"Meow-me-meow~" Misha was laughing on the sidelines.

Translation: (By the demons that was hilarious, dance my puppet, dance!)

"Well why don't you tell us what you need, you weren't specific about what you wanted on your letter...at least I don't think so" Milky said.

"R-right! My favor" Maple said.

"Whoa there don't you mean paying favor?" Walker asked regaining himself.

"I'll do that! Be kind to nature, and she'll be kind to you" Maple assured.

"Nature, and I don't mix all that well" Kimberly said.

"Not true! Nature loves you, and you should love her! Hasn't she ever made you happy?" Maple asked.

"...Well the...tea leaves were exquisite..." Kimberly mumbled.

"They made good bedding for a while..." Milky admitted.

"I lived in a desert, screw nature" Walker said.

"You can't say that!" Maple shouted.

"The hell I can't, you're a flower girl, you try living in a place with no water, and more dirt than there is air in the sky" Walker said.

"You need a dose of nature stat!" Maple said.

"We're getting off topic, can you tell us what we have to do" Kimberly said.

"Oh right! Well lately a lumber company has been cutting trees lately. I've allowed them for a while, but lately they've been cutting more trees than me, and nature can grow together! At this rate we won't have a forest anymore, we have to do something!" Maple explained.

"So we 'persuade' these loggers to knock it off, and we get paid?" Walker said getting to the gist of it.

"Yes, nature can't defend herself forever we need to help mother nature!" Maple said.

"We'll do it, just show us the way" Milky said.

"Like we have a choice now" Walker muttered.

"This clearing was once lush with beautiful healthy trees, all gone before their prime, I do my best to pretty it up with my flowers, but it's just not the same. They're doing the same a few yards away we have to hurry!" Maple exclaimed.

"Take us there, hurry" Kimberly proclaimed.

Team 3 Leader Elfie, Peachy, Schrodinger, and Kelly

The room which may have once resembled a humble living room was now dully lighted, with blinking machines, and super computers acting as walls, or it appeared to be as there were no signs of the wooden walls that actually keep the building in place. The room was also buzzing with noises, all mechanical bleeps, and bloops. There was little room to walk, but there was enough space for all of them to stand with reasonable personal space...not that Schrodinger was abiding by them.

"Like do half of these things even do anything useful?" Peachy asked.

"There is a slight probability that thirty seven percent of my equipment is just for show" Sophie said.

"Oh~ all high techy" Peachy said.

"Look like expensive toys to me, but to each his own" Kelly said.

"I apologize for our incompetence, and lack of understanding, but I can assure you we have a perfect record of accomplishment" Elfie assured.

"I was told you open shop only a few days ago, I'm pretty sure that factors in on your perfect record" Sophie said.

"That it does..." Elfie could not deny.

"Well I like talking as much as the next guy, but can I get a little action here, preferably from you if you're interested?" Schrodinger lewdly asked.

"Well you're certainly showing enthusiasm, I like that in a subject" Sophie said showing genuine interest.

"I take it you were only interested in hiring just one of us?" Elfie said.

"I'm confused, are we a dating company?" Peachy asked.

"I don't remember that in the terms of agreement...then again I don't recall ever being told about any kind of term, or agreed to anything" Kelly said.

"While it's true I only need one, having four will save me time in case of sudden changes in plan, science is very fickle like that" Sophie said.

"Science, fickle whatever let's do this" Schrodinger said.

"I don't know whether you're ignorant, or just impatient, but neither of those are any concern, you'll do just fine, follow me upstairs" Sophie said already heading there herself.

"(I still got it!)" Schrodinger thought loudly.

As he rushed upstairs to join Sophie, Elfie was busy grabbing messy papers containing data, and information. While most of them were complicated math problems, and schematics for past inventions one recently written paper with the current date caught her interest.

"Look here girls, this paper might have something to do with Sophie hiring us" Elfie said.

Peachy, and Kelly squeezed side by side on Elfie to get a better look.

"Look at the bold caption at the top" Kelly said.

"Demon, modification? Big word" Peachy read, and said.

"That's fine, and dandy, but look over here on the bottom left. It reads 'in progress'" Elfie said.

Suddenly a burst of blue light shot out from the second floor followed by a loud scream from Schrodinger.

"...He'll be fine" Elfie assured.

Unimportant Team 4 Leader Firefly, Aldo, Berry Melon, Noelle, Isabelle, and Limbo

Moving their battle just outside the clinic for the added space, Fyz, Zanac, Ziska where five squares away from the Disgaea Guild plus Matilda acting as temporary team player...only temporary.

"It is our turn first, and as acting leader you must instruct us-zam!" Aldo explained.

"Oh no, oh no, oh no! Why did he pick m-m-me?" Firefly exclaimed.

"I don't know, but now is not the time to discuss this" Limbo said.

"I would volunteer, but...*yawn* I've already decided to heal you, I can't do two things at once without sleeping" Matilda said.

"You can do it! You just gotta believe in yourself again!" Berry Melon cheered.

"...Yeah, yeah maybe I can..." Firefly muttered, her confidence growing ever so slightly.

"That's right! All you have to do is not think about messing up, or giving wrong orders, or getting us killed-" Noelle began.

"Or tensing up, or not doing anything, or giving the bad guys a hand by accident, or letting Walker down!" Isabelle finished.

"Ah~!" Firefly shouted in a panic as she collapsed into a fetal position.

"Oh dear, I'm not the psychological type of healer you know" Matilda said.

"Perhaps you two could have worded that better-zam!" Aldo said.

"Yeah you should have!" Cried a voice just outside the battle stage.

Turning around they saw, besides a small crowd gathering, the shouter, and identified her as a Female Fighter, but a familiar one, if only slightly.

"Hey~ It's uh...what's her face!" Berry Melon shouted.

"'What's her face?'" The Female fighter repeated.

"Ah we only met briefly then departed after you paid us, but then again you all look the same, maybe you can clarify?" Limbo asked.

"It's me Evelyn, and yeah I did pay you after meeting all of you" the Female Fighter known as Evelyn said.

"Oh yeah! Now I remember! She's the casual!" Berry Melon realized.

"What's with you, and giving me these weird nicknames, can't you just call me by my real name?" Evelyn asked.

"Is she friend, or foe? Zam!" Aldo asked.

"She's cool" Berry Melon assured.

"Hi! Hi~!" Noelle, and Isabelle both cried out.

"So what brings you around here...Oo~" Limbo said, following it with a howl.

"...I see some things never change...anyways I was just passing, did you know that your fight is blocking most of the road?" Evelyn asked.

"Just passing by? Yeah that is what a normal person would say" Berry Melon said to herself.

"Since when were you the judge of what's normal, or not around here! Not that I'm complaining about being called normal" Evelyn argued.

"Can we get this fight started today by any chance!" Ziska shouted angrily.

"We don't have time to argue, either join, or fight make your choice-zam!" Aldo demanded.

"Well I wasn't doing anything anyways...but this better not come back to haunt me, you better pay for my medical bill!" Evelyn cried out her demands.

"We'll do it, now come over here, and help us snap Firefly back into fighting" Limbo said.

"Friend! Friend!" Noelle, and Isabelle both cheered.

_End of Chapter_

_Everyone has his, or her preference of environments, and way of life, knowing these could mean the difference between being in a good mood, and open to relationships, or being in a bad mood, and severing relationships. Of course I'll put hints, and clues within the story about what they prefer, but your choice in mission could determine whether they will hate each other, or form a close bond with a specific someone in the process. This will not effect my main story, or it's ending in any way, it's just something to think about. Writing romance is my greatest weakness, but maybe we can haggle, and make it a romantic comedy, but don't expect love instantly, these things will take lot's of time. Thanks for the support, reviews, and most importantly your patience! PS. my username, and PS3 account are the same name so you can catch me being lazy-I mean researching Disgaea 4 sometimes._


	20. Chapter 20

_Chapter 20: How Did it All Fare Out?_

_Isn't this guild just awesome, they can do no wrong can they?_

_Milky: *cough* foreshadowing *cough*_

_Way to steal the chapter like that, now I have to change it, or be called a liar. Enjoy!_

Team 1 Leader Aegis, Nina, Lloyd, Peach Basket, and Megas

The large double doors swung open, and an army of equal, or higher numbered Catsabers rushed to meet the intruders, just as predicted. The equally large group of hired mercenaries met them, and started a series of several battles. All around, and inside the building were the shouts of "battle start" from dozens of demons, and monsters. Our guild members joined by Phoenix, and Lance were at the center of that army, and had already pushed their way inside the warehouse. Those who reached the inside of the facility were to spread out, and search for any remaining soldiers, or thieves attempting to escape via some other means. Getting a good look around they saw that the warehouse resembled a standard storage facility though the ceiling looked much higher on the inside, and composed of metal with metal beams keeping the roof in place. Tall racks with several boxes full of different tuna, and other assortments of fish made the room smell like fish, salt, and sea. Lastly the temperature in the building was just below freezing, but that is merely an annoyance, and for Lloyd a breath of fresh air in his polluted air filled life of misery. Soon the guild found themselves facing their first resistance, a band of five Catsabers, all of the either holding onto a fish, or a package of fish.

"Battle start!" Aegis called out.

Before they could escape a large portion of the field was turned into a fighting ring complete with glowing white blocks signaling where they may move, just like any good old fashion area of combat. The Catsabers knowing it was too late to make a break for it, now that they had been trapped, decided to fight for their meals.

"Alright Nina go on a rampage" Aegis ordered like it was no big deal.

"S-so cold the h-heat of my rage cooled o-off" Nina stuttered

"This isn't a place for someone like me! I only touch cold drinks!" Megas exclaimed.

"Ooah~ n-n-no w-warm clothes, P-Peach Basket c-c-cursed with t-t-tiny outfit" Peach Basket stuttered.

"Don't complain in front of the enemy, look at their yowling, they're already not taking us seriously" Aegis said.

"How can you tell that's laughter?" Phoenix wondered.

"Because when people see me, they always laugh, and mock me!" Lloyd explained, a little louder than usually, possibly from being in his element.

"Hm..." Lance muttered.

"Didn't any of you take cold endurance training like I did during my initiation as a Heavy Knight?" Aegis asked.

He was answered by several shaking heads.

"I'm sure it's n-n-not as cold as it should be, b-but I'm still cold" Nina said.

"Put that aside for now, we must do battle" Aegis commanded.

The five Catsabers were aligned in a typical horizontal line, and were four squares away from the guild who were also standing in a horizontal seven man line, both sides were one square away from reaching the edge.

"Simply put we already have the first turn advantage, if we're lucky this should be a one strike kill for all of us. Nina move to the one farthest from the left" Aegis asked.

"M-my left, or their left?" Nina asked.

"...My left, Phoenix will punch the Catsaber next to Nina's target, Lance...I don't know what you can do, but whatever it is, make sure it's ranged, and make sure to hit the Catsaber next to Phoenix's target" Aegis continued.

"Easy enough" Phoenix replied.

"Meh..." Lance muttered.

Nina, and Phoenix with their impressive move range got to their positions with no difficulty while Lance moved just one square away from his target, and choose to strike with a Star Skill.

"Lloyd you do the same, move in a ranged position, and hit the target next to Lance's, I recall seeing it's weakness towards ice, and the fact that it's shaking a lot more that the others backs up my theory" Aegis said.

"Alas, here we stand to take another life, but what of our own, when will the day arise when we too face the reaper's scythe" Lloyd said which basically translated to 'yes sir'.

"Megas your target is the last on on my right side" Aegis said.

"Aw, man these things are too damn cute my muscles aren't gonna be at their best" Megas realized.

"Then I shall accompany you, and strike soon after you do" Aegis said.

"I have no idea how you're gonna stab that cat while I'm in the way, but hey I've seen some crazy stuff, and that was while I was sober...those were dark times bro" Megas said.

"Peach Basket you-" Aegis began

"Peach Basket s-see pattern, Peach Basket m-m-move where big metal m-man will tell Peach Basket to move!" Peach Basket exclaimed moving to a position that was not next to Lance's target.

"That was not at all where I wanted you to go, but it works to my advantage as well" Aegis said.

Lloyd was standing next to Lance, and prepared an Ice Skill spell while Peach Basket moved in front of Lloyd to stab at her shared Catsaber opponent while Aegis moved himself into position as well behind Megas, his lack of movement only allowed him to get that close to his enemy.

"Execute" Aegis signaled.

"T-take t-this" Nina stuttered with no passion as she struck the poor Catsaber with her axe, taking it out in one blow.

"Open your eyes! Look behind the curtains!" Phoenix said delivering a right straight punch, and dwindling the Catsaber's health to half.

"Meh...star..." Lance muttered, raising his right single fist while still reading his book with his left hand holding it.

A purple magic circle forms under Lance's feet, then three rings made from pure energy formed around the Catsaber trapping it. The rings vibrated for just a second until they were suddenly shot out once each of the three rings formed tiny yellow orbs resembling newborn stars, all going through the Catsaber damaging enough to leave it at a quarter health left.

"Ice, you're the only thing that doesn't disappoint, and yet you still refuse to speak to me" Lloyd said, casting ice, and taking out his Catsaber in one blow.

"Ooah! Wanna stab, stab!" Peach Basket was heard complaining.

"I will crush you!...Gently" Megas exclaimed, then muttered as he went easy on the Catsaber as the hammer fist crushed the Catsaber, and doing surprisingly very little damage. Aegis attacked next, with one stab that surprisingly missed Megas, and hit the Catsaber leaving very little of it's health left.

"Peach Basket since you still haven't attacked yet, you can strike down this Catsaber, you're just withing reach, and I really don't believe I should explain any clearer than that" Aegis said.

"Ooah! Peach Basket strong! Ready!" Peach Basket exclaimed with confidence while quickly punching her chest in a brief show of strength.

"You can't pull of strong, I'll just end our turn now, you do what you were told" Aegis said.

"Stabby stab!" Peach Basket shouted as she pierced the fatally wounded Catsaber, and ending it entirely.

"Great! Now we just have two more left" Nina realized.

Phoenix's Catsaber opponent let out a loud cry, and moments later six more Catsabers came out from a top of the racks, and descended down, three on either side of the team, each side had a War cat sandwiched between two Catsabers.

"Meow! Meow, meow!" The Catsaber shouted.

"What are they saying?" Nina nervously asked.

"Pretty sure something along the lines of 'destroy them'" Phoenix figured.

"Oh..." Lance grumbled.

Two Catsabers targeted Nina one behind her, and one in front of her, both had Cat Kick Teaser specials at the ready. The injured Catsaber moved swiftly around Nina, and stood behind Phoenix who also had Cat Kick Teaser set. A War Cat stood on Nina's left side, and prepared Kitty Cat Hoop, Phoenix's injured Catsaber moved behind Lance, and prepared it's single special. A Catsaber had also targeted Aegis from behind with it's special, and Megas as well, while the lone War Cat standing beside Megas, and planned for a Kitty Cat Hoop as well.

"Mew! Meow!" Shouted one of the Catsabers.

Starting from Nina to Megas they each had performed their special skill, with Nina getting hit with two in a row, her health quickly dropping to below half. Phoenix was struck with damage that almost dropped his health to half, Lance was also hit, but had taken had the misfortune of being hit with a critical strike, and dropping his health to merely a quarter. Megas, and Aegis on the other hand took their beatings quite well, and only had their health dropped only slightly, with no reason to fear, and Peach Basket for the most part remained untouched. Then came the War Cats.

"Mew, mew!" Exclaimed the first War Cat.

The Catsaber jumped high above their heads, and began front flipping in rapid successions, faster, and faster until it formed two rings on unknown material, it descended to the floor where almost instantly a Beast Master for reason unknown began pushing it around with a stick, striking Nina, and Phoenix,

"Meow!" Shouted the second War Cat, soon after performing the same Kitty Cat Hoop, and hitting Megas, and Peach Basket, thus ending their turn.

"Is...this how...death feels like? S-so cold...*dead*" Tina whispered before being warped to the great beyond.

Phoenix was just hanging on to dear life, as well as Peach Basket, while Megas only had his health down to half.

"Were the hell are the rest of the army to take them out?" Aegis grumbled in annoyance.

"I can still hear them fighting, but I doubt we'll get any reinforcements" Phoenix said.

"I won't let these cat things make a fool of us, Phoenix use Triple strike on that War Cat, Lance, and Lloyd you shall assist with spells, Megas, and I shall deal with the second one with our specials! Peach Basket, if our actions are not enough, put it to sleep so we can deal with it later" Aegis commanded.

Lloyd, and Lance moved just close enough that their spells could read the War Cat, once they were ready, Phoenix prepared his own Triple Strike as the last attack of their combo. Megas stood his ground, and simply turned towards the War Cat's direction while Aegis was standing on it's left side, but only he had his special ready.

"Problem" Megas said.

"...What?" Aegis asked.

"No space, I need this whole rack in front of me out of the way. Gonna have to just wing it, or whack it" Megas said.

"*Sigh* do as you please, just attack before I do" Aegis said.

"Can do" Aegis assured.

"If that's all...Execute!" Aegis commanded.

"Star...again...meh..." Lance mumbled, performing his spell with the same low enthusiasm as before, but still left it with just over it's health left

"Why don't you understand, why must I be hurt physically, and mentally?" Lloyd complained as he cast his ice. By this point the War Cat's Health was down to critical levels.

"You have blinded yourself so much from the truth you won't be able to see this one coming. Triple Strike!" Phoenix exclaimed

Performing his special, and forcing the War Cat one square forward only to be destroyed, their team attack was not over yet.

"Aw~ don't look at me like that when I'm about to smash you" Megas grumbled as the War Cat selfishly put on the 'pwease don't huwt me mister' innocent frown.

However Megas did attack, though did hold back quite a bit, leaving much to deal with still.

"If this keeps up I'll lose my cool like Walker...not gonna stoop to his level though, Impaler Drop!" Aegis exclaimed.

Performing his special took him over, the War Cat on his other side, but it still held on to half it's health.

"Sleepy, sleep curse~" Peach Basket chanted repeatedly, her feet stomping the ground a little faster, and harder than usual for some reason, possibly excitement.

Her sleep curse was successful, and the War Cat was now in a deep cat nap.

"Nothing more we can do, end turn!" Aegis exclaimed.

"Mew, me~w, meow!" One of the Catsabers shouted.

Two Catsabers, both injured focused their attention on Phoenix while one of them went after Peach Basket, three targeted Aegis, and one targeted Megas.

"Meow, meow!" The same Catsaber ordered.

One by one they each performed their single special attack. The first Catsaber left Phoenix with a quarter of his health, and the second Catsaber finished that off.

"Guess, this is...where my struggle ends...*dead*" Phoenix grumbled as his body burst into light, and disappeared.

A third Catsaber lunched it's special depleting what was left of Peach Basket's health.

"Curse...death...long, sleep...o-ooah~*dead*" Peach Basket whispered before joining Phoenix, and Nina.

Aegis took his beating quite well, remarkably when all three Catsabers had finished, he still had half his health left, while Megas was nearing the halfway point after the lone Catsaber took out some of his. After all was said, and done Aegis was left with only three of his teammates alive.

"...They are merely delaying the inevitable, Nina, Phoenix, Peach Basket, you've all battled bravely. We won't let your sacrifice go to waste. Lance, Lloyd, handle the two injured, Megas, and I shall team together, and pick them off one by one. Remember, we only have two turns left until that War Cat comes, let's clear this place before that happens" Aegis rallied.

Lance nodded.

"*Sigh* it's all coming back to me...the flood of empty promises, and broken dreams, but I will do as you have requested" Lloyd assured.

"I can strike with my frat's signature move! It's basically how we say hello to each other now!" Megas shouted.

"Let me have the first strike though, then you may do as you please" Aegis reminded.

"Gotcha!" Megas exclaimed.

"End turn!" Aegis shouted.

"Star...something, something..." Lance mumbled, his star striking a weakened Catsaber, and ending it.

"Such cold feelings~, feel how icy, and alone~ they are with this" Lloyd moaned.

Lloyd cold, and broody life embodied in the form of an ice spell met with a Catsaber, giving it a dire end.

"For my fallen soldiers!" Aegis exclaimed.

He performed another Impaler Drop hitting the Catsaber on his right, while Megas had already moved in position, from where he was standing the force of his attack would send the Catsaber onto the spot Nina last stood before she died.

"You're gonna feel the worst hangover of your life! Skull Crush!" Megas shouted.

Gripping the tiny squirming Catsaber with one hand, he shoved it's skull onto his own, and began putting pressure by forcibly pushing, and squeezing it until a loud crack was heard. He then proceeded to throw the Catsaber roughly several squares away, and with a mighty leap Megas body slammed it into a pancake. Despite this he was still going easy, but despite that, it was still enough to kill it in one blow leaving only three Catsabers, and one sleeping Warcat alive with just one turn left before it wakes up.

"Meow~? Meow, mew!" A different Catsaber shouted.

Two Catsabers moved in front, and to the right of Lloyd while a single Catsaber focused on Lance.

"Me~w, mew!" The same different Catsaber shouted.

Lloyd endured two Cat Kick Teasers with just an inch of health left, while Lance's life was cut in half, a short turn, but now their Warcat was awake, and ready to fight the next turn, Aegis had a choice to make.

(If we all gang up on it, we can take the Warcat out, but that will still leave us with three Catsabers, Lance, and Lloyd can't take another hit by them...if I had Elfie with me we could fix this, and I know Firefly could have exploited their elemental weakness better than Lloyd...still, a challenge like this is what I've been looking for. This will be a glorious victory...or an honorable death) Aegis argued in his head

"We'll target the Catsabers, but we can't let ourselves get hit by that Warcat's hoop attack so we'll spread out while doing so. Lance, and Lloyd will hit one Catsaber, me, and Megas can deal with the second, remember spread out, to each his own row, but horizontally, and vertically" Aegis at last instructed.

Lanced hummed in agreement, and took several steps away from the Catsaber, as well as Lloyd, and following Aegis instructions they were able to target a single Catsaber while staying diagonally away from each other, Megas moved several squares away, just enough to hit the second target, and hit with his special again while Aegis did the same, but was right next to Lloyd, however utilizing his weapon's skill's ability to move him across the board, he should be on his own square where no one, but himself could be hit.

"End Turn!" Aegis shouted.

"Oh! This part is really interesting...star..." Lance muttered to himself, and dealing more than half damage from the end results.

"I take no pleasure in doing this, but if it's any consolation, I take no pleasure in doing anything at all" Lloyd wheezed as he cast ice. Though the target was strong against it, the critical he miraculously achieved dealt it a fatal blow.

"I shall remember our battle as our one true fight since I first entered feline warriors! Impaler Drop!" Aegis shouted. His blow though not as devastating as one would think still left half a health bar.

"I will never look at my cat bro the same way again after this" Megas realized as he pulverized the skull of his opponent, then broke every bone in it's adorable body, thereby finishing it.

When they were done, they were left with a single Catsaber, and War Cat both ready to fight.

"Meow~ Meow! Me~ow!" Boomed the War Cat.

The Catsaber targeted Lloyd while the Warcat went after Lance, with both of them using their Cat Kick Teasers again.

"Meow!" Shouted the War Cat.

The Catsaber struck Lloyd with deadly force, and ended his miserable life.

"Shadows creep up to me with bad intent~

They force my body, my mind twisted, and bent~

Life force fading into the abyss~

A life of suffering, an afterlife with no bliss-*dead*" Lloyd whispered with his dying words

The War Cat also delivered a fatal blow, ending Lance's battle before he could taste victory.

"R-return my b-book to me-*dead*" Lance muttered as he disappeared, his book lying on the floor, on the square he stood, and died.

It was now Aegis turn again, a two on two battle.

"Somehow I knew it would be only us two bro" Megas said.

"Yes, and we're down to half our health too, but...that Warcat can't take much either. Let's end this" Aegis said.

"-And start a party" Megas finished.

"We'll target the War Cat this time with both our specials...I only have enough SP for one more, so let's make it count" Aegis said.

Aegis moved besides the Catsaber while Megas moved in front, his special would push the War Cat on the edge of the battlefield.

"End Turn!" Aegis commanded.

Performing the last Impaler Drop he can pull off he was met with good fortune when he saw that it was a critical hit.

"Canon ball!" Megas shouted as he slammed his body onto the Warcat with his special, and ending a huge threat to the group.

The Catsaber now by his lonesome was dealing with two literal giants who have seen the worst of war...and bad alcohol. In a desperate, yet futile attempt he struck at Megas with Cat Kick Teaser, it did little, and now it was Aegis' turn once again.

"Tell your compatriots in the afterlife that they had battled bravely, and honorably, but the better team stands victorious. Megas you know what to do" Aegis said.

"Nothing against you little dude, but if we meet again I'll buy you, and your friends a drink" Megas assured as he moved into position, as well as Aegis standing behind him.

"End turn!" Aegis exclaimed.

He jabbed at the Catsaber with his spear, cutting it's health to just above half, while Megas finished it off with fierce 'Skull Crush' thus ending the fight. The team, or what was left of it was rewarded a hefty sack of HL, but not what they came here to collect. After a brief pause to pick up Lance's book a Prinny was seen rushing around with it's arms flailing looking for anything that wasn't a Catsaber. At last he spotted Aegis, and Megas, and gave out the message.

"D-doods! They surrendered! Collect your reward at the tent, and get out doods!" The Prinny shouted.

Aegis, and Megas glanced at each other, then gave each other a quick fist bump before walking away from the warehouse, and back to the tent to collect their fee.

_Mission Accomplished_

Team 2 Leader Milky, Walker, Kimberly, and Misha. Employer: Maple

After crossing rough terrain they eventually found half a clearing, one side with lush thick trees, and the other with tree stumps, and broken branches. Several Male Fighters about four of them were using Axes to chop down the trees, several long lines of rope could be seen along a recently built dirt path where a possible vehicle was stationed to take the trees to the lumber yard.

"Stop right there!" Maple squeaked.

"No~ m-my hair, covered in leaves, and grime-*sniff* it's gonna take an infinite number of showers to clean this mess off" Kimberly gasped as she was on the verge of tears.

"...Damn it, hang on, I'll help you pull the leaves out, just hold still..." Walker said defeated.

There is nothing that annoys Walker more than a person crying, especially a girl, of course he would never let them know that...ever.

"Uh~ miss, this is a dangerous area at the moment, do you mind if your party leaves the premises" a Warrior spoke to them as he was coming out of the dirt path.

"We will not leave, you forced yourselves unto mother nature, and I won't let you violate her anymore" Maple said.

"That's why she called us in" Milky said standing next to her.

Two demons who resembled little girls were trying to show their dominance to five grown men. Their laughter was as predictable as something could be.

"Okay you had your fun, now get out of our way, or you're gonna get hurt" the Warrior warned one last time.

"We shall overcome!" Maple shouted.

Thick vines began to sprout out of nowhere, and ensnared themselves onto Walker, Milky, Misha, Kimberly, and Maple, then a second round of vines jutted out of the ground, and pulled their bodies together, and forced their backs onto a nearby targeted tree faster than Walker could say 'what the hell?'

"*Ugh* now there's tree bark all over my gorgeous hair!" Kimberly squealed as she attempted to wriggle her way out of the snare, her delicate legs kicking rapidly were the only visuals signs of her doing so.

"S-stop moving around like that" Walker ordered as he found himself more, and more uncomfortable.

"I-if you want this tree you'll have to go through us" Maple said.

"Are you guys stupid, or something?" The Warrior asked.

"Actually we were planning, on beating your asses out of this forest, but it seems like some of us should have been clearer on their ideas!" Walker complained.

"Mother nature is non-violent, and as her child I should honor her wishes" Maple said.

"I'm guessing you're ignoring tsunamis, volcanic eruptions," Walker began.

"Hurricanes, earthquakes, and everything in this forest is made to ruin a perfectly maintained hair style!" Kimberly continued to argue.

"She was just having a bad day" Maple insisted.

"So why do we have to suffer! That makes no sense!" Walker exclaimed.

"It was an accident" Maple said.

"Fine I get that, now can you untie us so we can go back to our jobs?" Walker asked.

"But you are doing your jobs" Maple insisted.

"So we're human shields?" Milky at last got the gist of it.

"Just you three, me, and Misha are more like monster shields" Maple exlpained.

"Meow!" Misha cried out.

Translation: (She needed enough bodies to circle the tree, that's almost as cynically insane as my sacrificial rites)

"Y-you know we could be more helpful if we aren't tied to a tree" Milky explained.

"It'll all work out, you'll see, we just have to show how determined we are!" Maple assured.

"By what, standing here, and doing nothing? How long are you gonna keep us?" Walker asked.

"I-it's okay! If it comes down to it, I can make you some food" Maple assured, blushing slightly.

"Must, eat, through, vines!" Walker grumbled as he tried the process of eating through the vines to set himself free.

"Boss what are they doing?" One of the Fighters asked.

"I don't know, but it's kind of freaking me out. Look they're arguing with themselves, and doing a bunch weird stuff to the vine" the Warrior manager said.

"Do we just call it a day then?" A second Fighter asked.

"Y-yeah, I think we collected enough, let's go before they start talking to us again" the Warrior replied.

The loggers gathered their stuff, occasionally glancing at the still arguing demons tied to a tree before at last leaving.

"And another thing about tea-h-hey! Where are they going?" Kimberly wondered.

"I think they're actually leaving! My plan worked, you're safe Nethermother!" Maple cried out.

"Yeah~, awesome..." Walker muttered with no excitement.

"I know right...uh~" Milky said.

"Me~ow~" Misha yowled

Translation: (Get me off this rotting timber this instant lesser beings)

"So, any time you can free us will be very much appreciated" Walker said.

"...Oopsies, I can't" Maple answered.

"There's always a hook with these types of situations" Walker muttered in disappointment.

"We've seen you summon these things to our disadvantage, now do it again, only this time have them yank us off" Kimberly explained.

"That was because I was touching the ground, my flower's root is just above the green grass" Maple said.

"So you need to be in contact to control it" Kimberly understood.

"Yes, you got it! Isn't nature wonderful" Maple said.

"Can't you make the tree do something then! You're touching it!" Walker argued.

"She can't help us, the branches are just out of reach of us, and the roots are keeping her upright, I don't want to pull them up, and risk toppling her" Maple said.

"Great you're useless" Walker said.

"Not entirely! Watch this!" Maple exclaimed.

She closed her eyes, and focus, moments later Milky was feeling something quite relaxing.

"How did you know my back was itchy?" Milky asked while enjoying the pleasurable scratching from the tree.

"I didn't I became one with this tree, and she thought you would get uncomfortable staying here" Maple said.

"This tree is a girl?" Milky asked.

"This isn't the time to be asking those types of questions!" Walker argued.

"And a 'he' when it's necessary" Maple explained.

"I highly doubt it, but if what you said is true, then what gender of tea taste better, male, or female?" Kimberly asked.

"Well-" Maple began.

"I just said this isn't the time to be discussing this" Walker said.

"He's right, and as leader, it is my job to get us out of this" Milky proclaimed

There was a brief pause when no one spoke.

"Got anything yet?" Walker asked.

"Nothing" Milky responded.

"Back to chewing my way out it is" Walker said as he continued biting at the thick roots, but making little progress.

"Misha can you claw your way out?" Milky asked.

"...meow!" Misha replied.

Translation: (I cannot move my paws, my claws are merely digging themselves into the vine)

"...Was that a yes?" Maple asked.

"You're the monster here, I thought all monsters understood each other" Walker said.

"I'm a plant monster, not an animal monster" Maple answered.

"I thought that was painfully obvious for you Walker" Kimberly said.

"You'll have to excuse me for my lack of knowledge about something I don't even care about!" Walker argued.

"I thought these types of situations would draw teammates closer together, but all we're doing is yelling at each other" Milky said.

"I can fix that! I'll release my pheromones, and you'll be feeling the love of nature in no time!" Maple said.

"N-no! I don't want anymore of what you make! Let's just keep fighting at each other!" Walker shouted in a panic.

"It's fine, it's not like we can do anything to each other, we're all tied up" Maple assured.

"That is no excuse for you to perform such a vulgar act" Kimberly exclaimed.

"It's not, really, it's not what it looks like again, it's just smells really nice, trust me!" Maple said.

"Meow~, meow~" Misha moaned loudly.

Translation: (Stop her you fools, she'll cloud my murderous intent, I must perform my actions with a clear mind!)

"I just need to direct my spores to this tree, and have it blossom, if I do it right a mist of pink will drape itself gently on us, and we'll be feeling the love!" Maple exclaimed.

"Can't we just stay trapped like this forever, and speaking of which, have any of you come up with a way of getting us out?" Walker asked.

"I managed to grab hold of one of my arrows, and sawing my way out with the arrow head as we speak-fiddlesticks! The shaft snapped, and I can't reach the arrowhead" Kimberly reported.

"I only chewed half a vine of a dozen, or more still tying me up" Walker added.

"Meow~!" Misha reported

Translation: (My claws are too little, and I cannot move! You must hurry Gunner)

"Still don't know what he's saying" Walker muttered.

"Okay! I did it, this tree spirit agreed to be the host for a while" Maple said.

"So now it's a spirit?" Kimberly asked.

"Don't fret over the details, go 'Lovey, Lovey Mist of Love' go!" Maple shouted.

"Damn it, don't do this!" Walker urged.

The tree's leaves began to glow a soft pink, small flower buds erupted from the tree's branches, then blossoming into a brightly pink daisies. Upon blossoming each bud shot out a tiny cloud of sparlking haze, clouding the tree at first, but finally settling down on the guild, and Maple. The haze obscured their vision giving the world a pinkish hue.

"It's okay, it's just as breathable as regular air, and it won't effect me" Maple assured.

"God damn you, I'm gonna...I'm gonna...hug the crap out of you" Walker slurred as the soft mist took effect.

"Walker you must be patient, as I wish to hug her as well" Kimberly whispered with content.

"You guys are so cool, I wish I could hug all of you at once" Milky chirped.

"*Purr, purr*" Misha mumbled

Translation: (I...I want someone to rub my tummy, and scratch my ears)

"Oh you guys! Now that our minds are finally at peace, let's think of a way out of here" Maple said.

"I just want to be honest with you Maple, I thought your syrup was amazing, it was almost as good as sarsaparilla" Walker said.

"R-really! Well that's sweet, and all, but really we should do something about our-" Maple said.

"Let us discuss how much we appreciate each other!" Kimberly suddenly declared.

"I know I really like hanging out with you!" Milky piped in.

"I offer my sincere apolgies for being so distant with you Milky, to be perfectly honest I always wanted to have a little sister, but was too bashful to confess my feeling about the subject until now" Kimberly confessed.

"Oh dear I overestimated how much you guys needed" Maple realized.

"I could stay like this forever if it's with you guys" Milky said.

"I was just thinking the same thing!" Walker said.

"Oh dear..." Maple mumbled.

_Mission Accomplished?_

Team 3 Leader Elfie, Peachy, Schrodinger, and Kelly. Client: Sophie

"So~ let's talk about girl things" Kelly suddenly brought up.

"Why?" Peachy for some reason beyond belief asked.

"I-I don't know, I thought that's what girls usually do when we're waiting...am I not doing it right?" Kelly asked.

"It's not as fun when we know boys are listening in, and trying to sneak a peek at what we're trying to say so you can tease" Elfie confessed.

Peachy, and Kelly stared at her.

"Sorry I don't know how that suddenly came up, I guess you can reincarnate, but you still have those moments where your old self suddenly pops out of nowhere *giggle*" Elfie said

"What do you suppose that light was?" Kelly asked.

"I don't know, and I've seen a lot of stage lights in my time" Peachy said.

"I've been meaning to ask this, but...are you a stripper?" Elfie asked.

"N-no! For the record girls, I'm an Idol...in training. I can sing, dance, I can do it all!" Peachy explained.

"You know, our teammate's scream is very foreboding, perhaps we should investigate" Elfie said.

"Well it looks like my plan for my first gal pal chat won't happen here, let's just get to work" Kelly said sounding disappointed.

"I guess I could use a little more attention here, two girls isn't enough" Peachy said.

"That was very open of you to confess such a thing, now then...we should start climbing the stairs now..." Elfie said.

"Yeah, I mean it's not gonna come to us is it?" Kelly poorly joked.

"Haha~ yeah it sure won't" Peachy said.

Several minutes later.

"Okay I'll confess, I'm scared" Elfie was the first to admit.

"Me too, I really don't want to be next" Peachy said.

"I-It's probably no big deal" Kelly said attempting to sound brave, and failing poorly.

"L-let's go then..." Elfie said with a shaky voice.

Clinging to each other like a group of frightened teenagers in a horror movie they slowly ascended up the stairs, trying to be as quiet as possible while doing so. They could hear mumbling of some kind, but only one voice.

"D-do you suppose Schrodinger is already...you know" Peachy asked.

"No heavy loss, but if what I read in that paper is true, then fixing Schrodinger back to normal could be impossible" Elfie said.

"There's the door..." Kelly said looking upwards from a few steps.

"Okay, quietly just like we how we were going" Elfie said.

"I can open this door pretty sneakily, maybe just enough so that she won't notice" Kelly said.

"Hurry, I'm getting more, and more nervous about all of this" Elfie said.

"I'll say, I'm getting goosebumps in places I've never felt goosebumps before" Peachy reported.

"Again, thanking for sharing with us" Elfie dryly said.

"Anytime" Peachy said not getting the hint.

Using her crazy awesome door jutsu skill...okay she slowly opened the door carefully, they managed to reach her second floor. A door was spotted instantly on their left, and wide open, but was merely the main bathroom, meaning this was her only bedroom. A second door on their right was slightly ajar, and they could hear what appears to be a soft whirring noise like a computer turned on, but it was too dark to tell what was making the noise. The floor was messy with paper, and metal, with the occasional work tools. It too was cluttered with gizmos, tall computer system units with who knows how many gigabytes of storage in them. A table stacked with several beakers, and flasks with some containing unknown chemicals were spotted at the center. A head of them on the other side was a table next to a single bed with a messy blanket, and sheets. Sitting on an office chair with her head down was Sophie, a soft lamp lighting her table, and most of her head while the rest of the room was mostly dark.

"I can barely see" Peachy whispered.

"Sh~ she might still be working" Elfie warned softly.

"I'll take a closer look" Kelly said confident in her abilities.

Before anyone could argue she vanished in an instant, then reappeared just behind Sophie. She stood there motionless for a while, waiting for her next move, but when nothing happened, Kelly took a risk, and leaned in close to Sophie. Once she got the info she needed she disappeared, then reappeared once again next to her teammates.

"She's asleep" Kelly reported.

"Good work, but looking at all this mess, we could step on something by accident, and wake her up" Elfie said.

"And it's too dark to tell what's a floor, and what's not" Peachy said.

"No problem, I have these glow in the dark light sticks we could use. You just snap em, and they give off a soft glow" Kelly said.

"Coo~l are they like some sort of secret ninja tool?" Peachy asked.

"Actually I bought these at a convenience store, I saw a bunch of girls buying them, and I thought buying these would make me like a normal girl" Kelly said.

"We'll have to discuss that obsession of yours once I have the time, but for now look for any signs of Schrodinger " Elfie whispered.

The glow sticks did very little to illuminate the room compared to the lamp giving off a bright yellow glow on most of the table.

"Girls, over here" Peachy whispered while pointing at a tall object draped in a white cloth.

"How did we not notice that..." Elfie wondered.

The tall obscured object was behind the bed leaning on the bathroom wall.

"D-do you think Schrodinger might me..." Kelly wondered.

"Under that...maybe...okay here goes..." Elfie whispered nervously.

With shaky hands she reached as high as she could gripping the cloth, and pulled...

She uncovered a grotesque lump of flesh that poorly depicted a living being, it's bald head, face with very little detail save for a wide, toothy grin with rotten gums. It's body resembled a Picasso painting, curved in all the wrong places, which was all the places. Forgetting all about being sneaky, the girls shrieked in terror at the sight of what could have been their once beloved...uh favorite...no that's not right...of Schrodinger.

The noise woke Sophie up from her nap fairly quickly, almost to the point of falling off her office chair.

"What is the meaning of this sudden blast of sound waves?" Sophie asked out loud.

"S-stay back! I don't want to be next!" Peachy shouted.

"Well you didn't have to blow your vocal cords to tell me that, you can be last" Sophie assured.

"R-return Schrodinger back to us" Elfie demanded with fear in her voice.

"I do not believe he is in a right state to be evacuated anywhere at the moment, perhaps after some time he-" Sophie explained.

"You mean you're gonna make him worse than that!" Kelly shouted pointing at the monstrosity.

"My paper mache monster, you have uncovered it! I take it from your loud voices you are frightened by my creation? Can you give me a detailed explanation about how you're feeling right now?" Sophie asked bringing out a pen, and notepad from out of nowhere.

"P-paper mache?" Peachy repeated less loudly.

"Indeed, ingenious really, I take great pride in my work. I used a much thicker paper for the base of the chest, it was the curves though that were the real issue-" Sophie was explaining.

"S-so where's Schrodinger?" Elfie asked.

"The Ranger? He is recovering from a scientific accident...it's common, but this is the first time it hasn't happened to just me. He's currently unconscious on the bed, and suffering from third degrees burns, there was little I could do, but to let him decease in a more comfortable environment, thus I chose the bed" Sophie said.

The girls moved closer to the bed, and Elfie once again was chosen by no one in particular to pull the covers. After which what met them was a charred, and sleeping Schrodinger with all the injuries Sophie described.

"What did you do to him?" Elfie asked as she prepared a very messy healing loogie.

"As I have stated it was a mere accident, I was simply giving him a full body scan in order to obtain data on his abilities with the bow so I can download them into...a future purpose. Unfortunately as I have been working on my paper mache you see, I declined most of my scheduled maintenance periods, thus the malfunction. After I got all the kinks out of the way I dragged his body to my bed so he may rest in peace there until you three recover him. The rest of the time I spent reading over the data it recovered before the crash, but...it turns out that maintenance was not the only thing I had forgotten to do. The sudden moment I felt comfortable I felt weary from depriving myself of sleep, so I suddenly fell into slumber, thus creating this misunderstanding" Sophie explained.

"That makes complete sense-" Kelly said.

"Ah! *Ugh~* I think I got some of it in my mouth!" Schrodinger cried out.

"I do apologize, but seeing as how my spit has to make contact with skin for it to take effect I had no choice. Though I believe it is more your fault for not wearing short sleeves clothes, or shorts for that matter" Elfie said.

"Ah! The Healer's amazing healing saliva! C-can you put some of your saliva in this test tube for future studies?" Sophie excitedly asked.

"Well I don't know, my loogies aren't made for such experiments, they work, and that's all I'm concerned w-" Elfie was saying.

"I'll pay your team double" Sophie said.

"Give me the test tube" Elfie quickly demanded.

"But that doesn't explain the paper we found at the living room, the one that read 'Demon Modification'" Kelly said.

"It's actually rather embarrassing, but that was no file document meant to be taken literally...it's more of a short story I had created during my spare time waiting for my chemicals to simmer. I meant to dispose of it, but I grew an attachment to it..." Sophie explained while not exactly looking directly at her audience.

"Well now that, that's settled...why did you make the monster mache anyways?" Peachy asked.

"I am a scientist...you should know that all scientist have some obscure hobby that most of the population has no idea of. Some scientist can ice skate, others can rock climb, and I recall one scientist who is also a very heavy lifter" Sophie explained.

"Well this is all awkward...I do apologize for the confusion" Elfie said taking responsibility

"If it's any consolation, I could really use more data from a subject skilled in close combat" Sophie asked.

"I've been known to give a mean punch, but are you sure your do hicky thing works?" Kelly asked.

"Of course! I fixed all the previous glitches this time, and it's ready to be used" Sophie said.

"But didn't it blow up, or something? I know I felt a burning sensation everywhere, and it wasn't just from gazing into your eyes" Schrodinger flirted.

"My scanner was mostly untouched, for reason I shall understand later, it seems as if you were the only one effected by the blast" Sophie said ignoring his last comment.

"Hooray~" Schrodinger mumbled.

"Where is that scanner thingy?" Peachy asked.

"It's to your right opposite of my paper mache" Sophie pointed out.

Just as she said, there was a round pedestal just a few inches higher than the floor, and a second similar one on top of it, both giving a bleak blue streak around them.

"Just stand in the center, and we can begin" Sophie instructed.

"Like this?" Kelly asked as she did just as she was told.

Sophie turned to a monitor beside the scanner, and shook her head.

"You need to retreat several inches back, your mammary glands are out of the scanners reach, and I need a full body scan to collect the data" Sophie said.

"My, what?" Kelly asked.

"You breasts are too big, you need to move back some" Elfie translated.

"I'm not complaining" Schrodinger hummed to himself.

Blushing slightly Kelly did so, and Sophie pressed an assortment of buttons which activated her machine. A see through veil of light surrounded itself around Kelly, and giving her a tingly sensation in the process. The scan lasted several seconds until the veil disappeared as instant as it appeared.

"Done! Excellent work, now I just need to collect samples from other specialists" Sophie said.

"Wow we actually did something right, and here I thought things would go horribly, horribly wrong" Elfie said.

"It was dangerously close to that, and to conclude our agreement I present to you your pay for the day, as well as the extra for your generous donation of saliva" Sophie said.

_Mission Accomplished_

"I appreciate the business, and you know we have a large variety of different classes in our guild. Perhaps one of them are what you're looking for" Elfie suggested.

"Was that an invitation?" Sophie asked looking excited.

"Perhaps it was, would you like to see for yourself?" Elfie asked.

"Would you point in the general direction of which your establishment presides?" Sophie asked.

"...It's at the end of the dirt path, that way" Elfie pointed out.

"Ah! I was wondering where that would lead, I had always assumed it would take you to an open field with a second town not too far away" Sophie said.

"Nope! Just more forest" Elfie corrected.

"That is all the information I need, but if that is the case, then this could be a little challenging..." Sophie said as she began to focus her attention to another set of controls near her scanner.

"So should we be going already?" Peachy asked.

"I wouldn't advise it, you could get caught in the blast off" Sophie said.

"...Did she say blast off?" Schrodinger repeated.

Unimportant Team 4 Leader Firefly, Noelle, Isabelle, Berry Melon, Aldo, and Limbo

Firefly was cowering before her enemies three squares ahead of her with Evelyn next to her, behind her was her team complied in two rows of three formed in a horizontal line behind one another. Aldo, Berry Melon, and Limbo were behind her, Berry Melon directly behind her while Aldo stood on her left side, and Limbo to Berry Melon's right. Noelle, Isabelle, and Matilda were behind them.

"The first turn is ours, so what are you gonna have us do?" Evelyn asked.

"Come on Firefly stop shaking in fear, and lead us-zam!" Aldo ordered.

"Ha! What a coward you have for a leader, this will be over fast" Ziska mocked.

"You had no problem following Walker's orders" Berry Melon reminded.

"I-I was f-f-forced too a-a-against my w-will" Firefly confessed.

"Walker is a meanie!" Noelle began

"A bit fat, fun meanie!" Isabelle finished.

"*Yawn~* I'm getting sleepy again" Matilda reported.

"...Well now we're forcing you to lead us, or we'll..." Evelyn began.

"I'll haunt you for the rest of your li~fe" Limbo warned.

"Aren't you already haunting their place just by staying there?" Evelyn asked.

"If that is the case, then his threat is useless-zam!" Aldo said.

"...We'll whisper weird things to you in your sleep" Berry Melon declared.

"I have never heard of such a threat-zam!" Aldo said.

"O-o-okay! P-please don't whisper w-weird things to m-me" Firefly said.

"Lead us! Lead us!" Noelle, and Isabelle chanted.

"We're dying of old age here!" Zanac cried out.

"Blah, blah, bloo, bloo~" Berry Melon mocked.

"Ha! That good impression of talking rock!" Fyz laughed.

"O-o-okay, um...A-aldo uh~ p-p-please hit t-the one with the axe. P-p-please?" Firefly squeaked as she pointed a shaky hand at Fyz.

"Tough luck for you" Berry Melon teased.

"Actually that's a great strategy-zam! I shall follow it-zam!" Aldo said as he moved towards his opponent planning a normal slice with his sword

"U-um~ Evelyn? Can you...move in front of the s-scary looking shirtless man in the middle? I-I don't like the way he's staring a-a-at me" Firefly whispered shyly.

"Very well, would you like me to distance myself seeing as I am carrying this spear?" Evelyn asked.

"O-okay" Firefly murmured.

Evelyn did so, and planned for an attack.

"N-now then, i-i-if you don't mind, I-I'm going to move in f-front of the G-gargoyle, and u-use 'B-Blade Rush'" Firefly declared poorly.

"We don't care what you do, just what we will do" Berry Melon corrected.

"O-oh...right, well m-move one square forward, and s-stay in defense" Firefly ordered with no confidence.

The group quietly did so, mostly out of pity rather than blind loyalty.

"You know, I may not be skilled in fighting, but-*yawn* I can still cast shield, and all those other spells to keep us a little more protected" Matilda reported.

"Y-yes! C-can you cast shield on the row in f-front of you?" Firefly asked.

"I have already done so" Matilda assured.

"O-okay...everyone ready?" Firefly asked with a shaky voice.

Everyone nodded, even their opponents.

"E-end t-t-turn!" Firefly squealed.

"Ninja strike-zam!" Aldo started things off.

He cut Fyz with a crooked slice doing one fourth damage, then Evelyn stabbed at Ziska, and cutting off one fourth of his health as well.

"P-p-please don't let me s-screw up! B-blade Rush!" Firefly shouted.

Her attack did little against Zanac's natural defense, doing just above a quarter of health, the least compared to her compatriots.

"I eat puny swords for lunch!" Fyz exclaimed

He counterattack, but his slow overhead strike was an easy dodge for Aldo as he took no damage from the blow.

"Too slow-zam!" Aldo quickly said before her countered Fyz's counter, but still not dropping his health to half as he intended.

"Go spell that protects from physical attacks slightly" Matilda muttered with no enthusiasm

Two walls of green composed of several pentagons surrounded Berry Melon, and Limbo, then suddenly vanished, though both of their defense did increase a bit thus ending their turn, and giving it to the opposing team.

"Just a scratch, let's show em how to really deal damage! But first a switch, I'll deal with their ninja, Zanac you shall demolish their woman fighter, and Fyz you crush their leader, all specials!" Ziska roared.

Moving in a clutter they each moved almost randomly all over the place, or at least to as much as their movement would allow them too, but eventually they did manage to reach their directed locations with Ziska even going so far as to moving behind Aldo while Fyz, and Zanac chose to attack from the front.

"End turn!" Ziska shouted with a hint of malice.

"I'm gonna squash ya like a bug! Flying Press!" Zanac assured.

Flying high, and hitting hard, Zanac did just as he promised, and delivered a fierce attack blasting away more than half of Evelyn's health.

"Chop, big messy pieces! 'Boulder Crush'!" Fyz grunted.

Fyz fierce attack took a huge chunk of health from Firefly, leaving her with a quarter health, and a new fear of axes.

"Your foolish path will lead you to your destruction, 'Triple Strike'" Ziska exclaimed.

Striking Aldo with three quick punches, and pushing him one square forward with half his health gone, but now it was their move.

"Ow~, right on my head~" Firefly groaned.

"It was unavoidable, but so will our deaths if nothing is done-zam!" Aldo reported.

"We should return to the sleeping healer being prodded by several mages" Evelyn said.

"It's like she's a dead body, but she giggles when it tickles" Berry Melon shouted.

"...We're coming over there...can you wake her up" Firefly timidly asked.

"She put herself to sleep-" Noelle began

"In play mode nothing will wake her up" Isabelle added.

"Luckily I have some of this fairy dust, or whatever that will do the job!" Berry Melon finished.

"So what are you waiting for?" Limbo asked.

"I don't know what to do with it...do I shove it in her mouth, throw it at her face? Help me out" Berry Melon cried out.

"You just use it...I don't know how to explain it to her" Evelyn said then whispered.

"We could also attack her" Limbo said.

"Just try the Fairy dust" Evelyn said.

"Okay~" Berry Melon said.

She used the Fairy Dust, whatever that means, and Matilda woke up instantly.

"Did we win?" Matilda wearily asked.

"No, but we need your help, we you to heal us-zam!" Aldo explained.

"*Yawn* can I go back to sleep after this?" Matilda asked.

"No?" Firefly answered sort of.

"Now I remembered why I opened a clinic, okay line up close to me. I can heal all three of you if you move back a few squares, and in a horizontal line" Matilda instructed.

They did so, to the point that they were three squares away from her.

"That's good enough, okay go spell that recovers injuries" Matilda shrugged off.

Her healing spell worked wonders, recovering the team of almost all their damage.

"I feel much better now...we should return to our squares, we can't do anything here" Evelyn suggested.

"G-g-good idea, I don't like it, but l-let's do it, and don't worry I'll have something for you guys to do!" Firefly assured.

"Not me, I'm done" Matilda said.

"Right..." Firefly realized.

Aldo, Evelyn, and Firefly all returned to their respective squares.

"Can they do that! I call shenanigans!" Zanac exclaimed.

"Yes we've been over this, it's one of our main reasons to return to our vicious roots of mauling without mercy, and eating those we defeated" Ziska explained.

"O-okay uh, A-Aldo, can you try hitting him again-a-and Berry Melon can you help too?" Firefly asked.

"'Kay~!" Berry Melon shouted as she moved into position, several squares until she was one square away from Ziska.

"Noelle, and Isabelle could you two help Evelyn with her attacker, and Evelyn maybe your special could work on him? J-just a spell from both of you will be enough" Firefly said which the twins barely heard.

"Finally, our turn to play-" Noelle began

"We'll play with everything we got!" Isabelle cheered.

"Well since you asked" Evelyn agreed.

Both Noelle, and Isabelle skipped merrily towards the grimacing Gargoyle, or at least close enough that both girls can reach him with their spells.

"I need your h-h-help, c-can you transform yourself...just for t-today?" Firefly asked.

"You need a boost of intelligence?" Limbo asked.

"W-well I saw that h-he wasn't too strong against i-it so I thought...maybe w-we can t-team up?" Firefly asked.

"No complaints here, I'll be your paranormal anomaly~" Limbo groaned.

"No you'll just be a tall stick" Berry Melon corrected.

"Paranormal anomaly~" Limbo repeated.

Limbo moved just behind Firefly, and performed activated his Magichange ability. The two ascended unnecessarily high, crossed paths mid air, and suddenly in a bright flash of light Limbo disappeared, and turned into a wavy staff with his head acting as...well the head of the staff.

"Now don't wave me around too much I get queasy, and puke ectoplasm" Limbo the staff warned.

"O-okay so, c-can I try your special then?" Firefly asked.

"I really don't like it, but it's not up to me to decide, you are the leader, and now that I'm like this, I can't go anywhere without help" Limbo explained.

"O-okay I'm ready" Firefly said.

"Us too, call it" Evelyn said.

"E-end t-turn!" Firefly exclaimed.

"Ninja strike two-zam!" Aldo started things off.

"Burn, burn, burn my pretty burn, burn, burn!" Berry Melon cheered.

With Aldo's slash, and Berry Melon's fire spell Ziska was left with a quarter health left.

"Damn you, I'm not gonna just let you do that!" Ziska shouted as he performed a counterattack.

He missed just like Fyz, and was countered back by Aldo, however he countered his counter, and managed a hit this time. Ziska was on the verge of death while Aldo health bar showed he was still above the middle point.

"Impaler Drop!" Evelyn shouted as she dealt the first critical hit of the fight, and dropping Zanac's health to below half.

"Breezy breeze, breezy, breeze~" Noelle sang as her wind spell left Zanac close to the afterlife.

"Since we got no place to go~ let it snow, let it snow, let it snow~" Isabelle sang, her spell finishing off Zanac.

"Okay so together now...X-Dimension Wonder!" Firefly called out.

Firefly rose her staff high, when several orbs of light appeared just above her staff. They spun rapidly once before quickly traveling over Fyz, the extending outward creating a large two dimensional black circle hovering on the side. Suddenly Fyz felt a sudden suction, and he was shot into the hole, the instant that occurred a second hole the same size as the once above it appeared. As soon as it appeared, Firefly was busy twirling her staff as rapidly as she could, and giving an amazing performance. Though it wasn't just for show, what she was doing also caused Fyz to be sucked into the hole above him, only to be spat out through the hole on the floor, this process repeated itself several times with more, and more electrical currents appearing as well until suddenly Elfie had to release all excess energy into one specific point which flung itself outward just as the hovering hole disappeared. The long line of energy shot high above before crashing down revealing that it was Fyz who was compressed, and temporarily experienced a chemical change in his body turning into energy for a brief moment. The experience left Fyz severly injured, and scarred for life, but still alive, and thus it was their turn to move once again.

"Why? Why is this happening! We are the true definition of demons, our traditions engraved in stone is our one true way of life! You've sold yourselves out for cheap commodities like showers, and air conditioning!" Ziska shouted.

"Oh no we got a whiner, someone call the Waa~mbulance" Berry Melon teased.

"Foolish old timer stuck in the past, let this beating be chiseled into your stone of traditions-zam!" Aldo said.

"It's not over yet! I'll kill one of you if it's the last thing I do! Fyz destroy that female warrior! Absolutely disgusting demeaning that weapon you are carrying when it was meant in the hands of a strong man" Ziska shouted.

"Wow he's that far behind the times" Evelyn realized.

"Y-yes..." Fyz muttered, still not recovering from the mental anguish of traveling through a wormhole.

"End turn!" Ziska shouted.

In his blind rage he struck at Aldo face to face, not taking into account his evility to dodge most attacks from the front. I a stunt that shocked no one, he missed, and in retaliation Aldo countered his attack, the little damage he gave him was enough to end Ziska's angry rant as well as his life.

"Fyz was also no exception, while he did as he was told his opponent could also easily counter attacks, and in the end that was his downfall. The battle ended in a very depressing way, depressing for the villains, but perhaps a lesson was at last learned. They were rewarded with a small amount of HL, and a Toy Sword that interested no one, but the children. At that point Limbo still in wand mode suddenly vanished, and then reappeared behind Firefly back in his monster class state.

"W-...We did it..." Firefly realized.

"Thanks to your leading skills, you did good for a coward" Evelyn assured.

"It's nice that everything is quiet again, now for some well deserved rest" Matilda said.

"Not exactly, you still have to resurrect our fallen comrade, as well as treat our injuries, and exhaustion-zam!" Aldo corrected.

"We won! We won! We won!" Noelle, Isabelle, and Berry Melon cheered.

"It can't be helped I suppose, I'll try to stay awake long enough to help you, let's get started" Matilda said.

"Well if that's all then I'll be leaving now" Evelyn said.

"Y-you're going? You mean you don't want to hang out with us at our guild?" Berry Melon asked looking depressed.

"Thanks for the offer, but I'm really not interested, maybe we can do this again, and we'll see" Evelyn said before waving goodbye, and walking away.

"W-wait! Don't you want us to heal you?" Firefly called out.

Evelyn stopped in her tracks.

"W-well I can't refuse an offer like that" Evelyn said returning to the group.

_Mission in progress_

_End of Chapter_

_Had to make this a little longer to cover everything, and there were still scenes that didn't quite make the cut. Wrote a little bit of Chapter 21 while working on this, so that I can submit it a little earlier, but anyways thanks for the reviews, support, and your patience!_


	21. Chapter 21

_Chapter 21: Evaluation Time_

_So it says here on your resume that you are skilled with the spear, but we have plenty of those already, what can you bring to the party?_

_Evelyn: I never gave you a resume, and I wasn't interested in joining your guild!_

_...So we'll do this interview another time then?...Why'd you flip me off, is that how you say hello, or something? Oh well, enjoy!_

Unimportant Team 4 leader Firefly, Aldo, Limbo, Berry Melon, Noelle, and Isabelle with Evelyn

"*Yawn* well thanks for stopping by~" Matilda yawned as she waved her right hand lazily.

"We haven't even told you who we want to bring back yet" Limbo said.

"So now I have to turn my sign from 'close' to 'open'?" Matilda said.

"The less you talk the less you have to do, can we get started?" Evelyn asked.

"You drive a hard bargain, very well, I take it you want to revive all your fallen allies, and recover your health, and MP, or whatever it is we call it here?" Matilda explained.

"That is correct-zam!" Aldo assured.

"And I want a coloring book!" Berry Melon squeaked.

"Us too, us too!" Noelle, and Isabelle chanted excitedly.

Matilda wordlessly looked through a file cabinet on her left, and uncovered three identical coloring books, and the guild's private medical records.

"...You actually sell coloring books?" Firefly asked.

"No one bothers to ask, we also sell glow sticks, and an assortment of lava lamps...again you need to ask" Matilda said.

"...That is not useful at all, but thanks for the heads up" Evelyn said.

"W-w-wait a minute, t-there's something wrong here" Firefly nervously said she looked through the records.

"No, it is entirely accurate" Matilda dully said.

"B-but it tells me that not only Blank is dead, but so is Peach Basket, Nina, and Lloyd as well. Not only that, but there's two others on this list that aren't even in our group, Lance, and Phoenix...wait I know them..." Firefly explained nervously.

"A simple answer, when they departed they must have joined your team in combat rather than be a neutral party. You know a yellow bar over their head rather than a green one so to speak. Though they are still not your official guild members, they are however your responsibility seeing as how they died under your command, or whoever commanded them at the time" Matilda explained.

"It must have been Aegis, he was team one leader at the moment-zam!" Aldo said.

"Whoever it is, they died under his rule, he is under your guild, therefore your guild is responsible, and you must pay for the medical bill...if you wish of course" Matilda finished her explanation.

"So should we? I'm asking seeing as how you are the leader, and you know them better than we do-zam!" Aldo asked.

"W-well Phoenix was...energetic, and passionate while Lance was...quiet, and reserved" Firefly said.

"I wasn't asking about their personalities, rather if it is best to revive them along with our team-zam!" Aldo reiterated.

"I-I-I don't k-know!" Firefly stammered.

"Do it, do it, do it!" Berry Melon, Noelle, and Isabelle peer pressured.

"O-o-okay! I-I'll do it!" Firefly agreed.

"That's not exactly how you go about deciding actions as a leader" Evelyn said.

"Regardless she said yes, so I'll just do it" Matilda said.

"This is gonna be expensive isn't it?" Limbo asked.

"Very" Matilda answered.

A glittering green hued mist sprayed from the ventilation shafts while at the same time several loud thumps where heard from the room behind Matilda followed by several grunts.

"Ooah~ dark, and cramp! Blind?" Peach Basket's voice was heard

"Why am I on the bottom of the pile? Damn it get off me!" Nina was heard shouting

"You're not at the bottom! You're on top of me dood!" Blank shouted

"I was expecting death to be a little more...grim, and lonely, I had never guessed it was something else entirely" Lloyd was also heard.

"This isn't my book..." Lance was muttering as he was feeling his way around the dark

"Get your hands off me, or so help me I'll cripple you!" Nina shouted.

"Someone open this door this instant! I know where we are, and this isn't funny!" Phoenix called out.

"Yes it is!" Berry Melon disagreed.

"Ow! My kidney!" Lance groaned suddenly.

"I'm going for your liver next!" Nina assured.

Matilda finally made it the few inches from her desk to the door, and opened the door. The once dead allies came toppling over like an avalanche. With some help from Matilda they were standing.

"Couldn't you have revived us one by one, and saved us the trouble?" Phoenix asked.

"Yeah~...no~" Matilda yawned as she moved to a medical bed that wasn't tossed, or broken, and immediately fell asleep.

"Damn it, I can't beat up someone who's sleeping, now we have to wait until she wakes up!" Nina said as she felt the need to punch someone else.

"L-let's just l-leave her alone" Firefly advised.

"She's the one that got me in that mess!" Nina argued.

"S-she d-didn't mean it I-I'm sure" Firefly stammered.

"Yes she did, she did it to save time, and effort" Limbo corrected.

"So what? You gonna do something about it, are you gonna stop me? Come on, I dare ya!" Nina challenged.

"U-u-uh w-what d-do I-?" Firefly stammered nervously.

"This is the part where you tell Isabelle to cool her off. Isabelle if you would?" Aegis' voice spoke out from behind.

"Whee~" Isabelle exclaimed as she sprayed Nina with a frosty blast of air.

"Eek! S-stop that! C-can't you find something less shocking than that to snap me out of it?" Nina complained though not furious anymore.

"We could try a burning sensation" Aegis figured.

Berry Melon giggled.

"N-no thanks! That's even worse!" Nina declined.

"Where you the ones that revived us?" Phoenix asked.

"It was our leader's idea despite being peer pressured to-zam!" Aldo said.

"My book..." Lance muttered.

"Got it right here nerd bro!" Megas shouted as he suddenly popped out while carrying several cases of beer over on shoulder, and carrying Lance's book on his left hand.

"Bookmark..." Lance muttered.

"On the same page ya died on, no worries bro! Catch!" Megas shouted as he tossed the book over to Lance who quickly caught.

Lance was very relieved, and thankful though it's hard to tell when most of his face was covered under that same book.

"Who are all these people doods!" Blank shouted.

"Just a couple more you have to clean up after, you can handle it" Berry Melon assured.

"Now that everything is settled let us return to our headquarters" Aegis said.

"What will you three do?" Nina asked.

"I'm gone, thanks for the free heal, but I have to go home, it may not look it, but I have groceries on me" Evelyn said.

"That's it? I thought you were on an exciting adventure to a far away land!" Berry Melon said.

"Sorry, but I like my life as it is, there's no need to make it any less, or more excited, goodbye!" Evelyn exclaimed as she stormed off.

"She'll come around" Berry Melon muttered.

"We're not here to force anyone to do anything, now there's you two. I take it you have your own journey, or pilgrimage, or something along the lines to accomplish?" Aegis asked.

"I admit that fighting a shadowed battle against the all seeing eyes of our government is never ending, I am curious as to see where this leads...then again...Lance! Thoughts?" Phoenix asked.

"...Meh..." Lance muttered.

"It is agreed then, we would assist you even further!" Phoenix exclaimed.

"That really isn't up to me to decide, we need to consult Walker. Anyone know where he is?" Aegis asked.

"I bet he's home right now waiting for all of us, he did have the shortest route to his mission" Nina figured.

Meanwhile

"He~lp!" Maple shouted.

"I know what we can do to pass the time! Let's sing a song about how much we love each other!" Milky proposed.

"An excellent idea best friend" Kimberly said.

"I'll start! Ooh~" Walker began, soon followed by Kimberly, and Milky.

Back to the unimportant team

The guild continued walking until a suddenly blast was heard from several yards away. Apparently a two story house with an almost metallic finish rose several feet into the air, several large rockets attached to the bottom of the house launched it high into the sky before it suddenly make a sharp turn towards the forest.

"Well...that happened" Nina said.

"Anybody else heard familiar screaming?" Aegis said.

"Nope! Let's go!" Sasha was heard shouting.

"You! Where the hell were you!" Aegis exclaimed.

"Well since I didn't become leader, I ditched" Sasha explained.

"She was gone the entire time, and we haven't noticed" Limbo said.

"How do you think I get away from ripping people off? Gunslingers have a knack for getting out of trouble after we finish suckering someone" Sasha explained.

"T-then w-what were you doing?" Firefly timidly asked.

"A little of this, a little of that, in the end I made a killing so why should you care if I was ditching?" Sasha asked.

"Because now you must share your spoils so that we all benefit from it" Aegis said.

"B-but I worked really hard lying, and swindling" Sasha said.

"I lost more than half my team in a battle to earn our winnings" Aegis told.

"Uh? Hello? We're right here" Nina spoke out.

"All the death, and pain I had witnessed" Aegis went on.

"We share a common interest, I too see death, and pain where others see life, and joy" Lloyd said.

"...Did you guys see that flying house?" Sasha said quickly changing the subject.

"It was heading towards the forest which we'll be heading going through fairly soon" Aegis said noticing they were reaching the twisting forest trail that would lead them to their house of operation.

"Ooah~ flying house look scary to ride! Curse to be inside!" Peach Basket said.

"Yes, I can see how it would suck to be riding that, especially with no seat-belt" Phoenix commented.

"I can only imagine the broken bones one would get colliding with everything while in flight, not that I would have a problem with my armor, and all" Aegis said.

"*Sniff-sniff* I smell something really sweet~" Berry Melon said as they neared the center of the forest.

"I see something all pink, and glowing far away Isabelle-" Noelle said.

"He~lp!" A voice echoed softly

"I hear something in that same direction Noelle" Isabelle said.

"S-should we d-do something?" Firefly asked.

"Meh..." Lance muttered.

"Wrong person to ask" Aegis said.

"I-I was asking everyone in general actually..." Firefly corrected.

"If the price is right" Sasha said.

"If it was me in danger I would want to be rescued dood!" Blank answered.

"There is no way my bulky body will make it through that thick shrubbery, and trees" Aegis said.

"I guess I don't mind doing something good every once in a while, while I'm like this I'm more of a lover than a fighter anyways..." Nina said.

"...Eh..." Lance continued to mutter.

"If the government would do nothing to help, than as someone fighting against them I should do the opposite, and assist, it's the only logical conclusion" Phoenix said.

"(What's with the explanations?)" Aegis thought to himself

"I'm a ghost, what can I do to help?" Limbo asked.

"More to curse! Peach Basket want to curse them!" Peach Basket exclaimed.

"No way am I gonna push some of these bros down, I know some of them" Megas answered.

"You're talking about the trees right?" Aegis wondered.

"I like the color, sure why not?" Berry Melon said.

"We always wanted to play rescue rangers right Isabelle?" Noelle asked.

"Yeah! We wanna be part of the rescue party!" Isabelle finished.

"If they are not suffering now, they will eventually. It's inevitable, and yet we constantly try to fight it" Lloyd said.

"(Now they're not even answering with a precise answer)" Aegis thought.

"It appears as if the majority is in favor of helping, therefore I shall use my abilities to the fullest, and scout ahead to search for any sign of imminent danger-zam!" Aldo said.

"Yes, do so then, those of us that can't move through the brush...which is just me, and Megas apparently will wait for you at the dining hall" Aegis said.

"So we're gonna be drinking these until then?" Megas said.

"Sure, why the hell not, take your time you guys, we needed the break anyways" Aegis said leaving the team with Megas.

"Okay, so does that make me team leader now?" Sasha asked.

"Why are you so fixated on being team leader?" Limbo asked.

"The power!" Sasha exclaimed with a hint of lust

"...We should go over to that pink glow now..." Nina said moving several steps away from Sasha while doing so.

"S-stick together everyone, if you get separated just follow the pink glow we'll wait for you there" Firefly said trying her very best to act like a responsible leader.

"What she said, she's one of the leaders if I remember correctly" Nina said.

With a boost of much needed confidence Firefly lead her team in a long line, standing next to her was Nina followed by Berry Melon, Blank, Noelle, Isabelle, Phoenix, Lance, Sasha, Peach Basket, and Limbo. They passed a clearing, but did not stop, and continued onwards, nearing a second clearing where they saw a lone figure standing at the center.

"There's Aldo maybe he discovered something" Firefly said.

Reaching the second clearing Aldo glanced at his teammates before turning his glare back at the pink glow which was now close enough for the team to realize it was in fact a tree, and the leaves were glowing, as well as a soft hue swirling at the base.

"What did you see?" Nina asked.

"What cannot be unseen-zam!" Aldo responded.

He was given several confused glances.

"Regardless I have found Walker, Kimberly, Milky, and Misha, all...well tied to a tree with what I assume is their client-zam!" Aldo explained.

"Kinky" Sasha joked.

"...You don't know the half of it-zam!" Aldo said.

"W-will you be joining us?" Firefly asked nervously.

"I believe I have done what I was assigned, therefore I shall retreat to our base, and wait for my sister to return-zam!" Aldo said disappearing into the night before the team could ask anymore questions.

"Shadow coming! Night chant for curse!" Peach Basket exclaimed.

"It is getting pretty dark now...we better find them, and get out before it gets too dark to see our own hands in front of our faces" Phoenix said.

"O-okay, let's hurry" Firefly agreed.

Going through the brush one last time, the team made it out, and into a clearing half the size of the two previous spots they passed. There they saw a most peculiar sight, Walker, Milky, Kimberly, and Misha were swaying back, and forth tied to a tree by what appears to be a vine. All of them had a blank stare in their eyes, but with very energetic smiles.

"Oh thank nature a rescue party is here!" An Alraune shouted with glee.

"W-what is this?" Sasha stammered.

"I-it's a long story, just get us out of here please! But don't get too close! You have to cut the vines from a distance. By the way, my name is Maple, and I was the one who hired you...and also the one responsible for this..." Maple explained with heavy guilt.

"Ooah~ master curse! Peach Basket need practice!" Peach Basket exclaimed.

"S-so how should we go about doing this?" Firefly asked nervously.

"That vine looks extra burnable..." Berry Melon muttered darkly.

"N-no! You'll burn this tree...and us too!" Maple shouted.

"I can maybe shoot the vine, tear it up a bit so you can rip faster" Sasha said.

"Y-yes okay, just be careful, and don't hurt the tree...or us" Maple warned.

"Not to worry! 'Careful' is my middle name!" Sasha exclaimed.

"You don't even have a last name" Nina reminded.

Ignoring Nina's comment Sasha unloaded several bullets in a straight line vertically at a spot she knew, or hoped was not covered by an arm, or chest.

"Hahaha, ya shot me in the liver buddy" Walker laughed.

"...Huh?" Sasha said right after she was done.

Maple struggled with whatever energy she had left, luckily it was just enough for the vine to finally snap, and free everyone of their blissful prison.

"Thank you so much! I guess I must have used too much, I'm pretty sure they'll return to normal very soon" Maple said.

"What did you do to our teammates? Should I be mad?" Nina asked.

"It's fine, be well friend" Milky groaned gradually getting closer.

"Ooah~ pack groggy, no fight in eyes, see...not know what Peach Basket sees..." Peach Basket said.

"I see no difference" Berry Melon said.

"Ah! Big sis, I've missed you so much" Walker cheerfully proclaimed.

"What have you done you monster!" Berry Melon shouted in rage.

"I just gave him a natural chemical that boosts his love trait! It's all natural I swear!" Maple said.

"Who needs a hug~" Walker declared as she began to lovingly squeeze Berry Melon.

"This isn't normal!...But I do kind of like it" Berry Melon exclaimed then muttered to herself.

"Come now, let us not dawdle over such trivial things! Let us celebrate our togetherness with a round of tea!" Kimberly proclaimed.

"*Purr~ Purr~*" Misha purred lovingly as he allowed Noelle, and Isabelle to rub his ears, and chin.

Translation: (I wish to be played with more! Bring me a ball of yarn)

"Alright you two break it up" Sasha said attempting to pull away Berry Melon from Walker's tight grip.

"Are you sure the...uh, 'effects' will wear off?" Limbo said.

"Y-yeah?" Maple answered.

"We know what to do!" Noelle, and Isabelle cried out.

"Enlighten us with your obvious superior intelligence" Sasha sarcastically remarked.

"Sasha! I almost didn't notice you, there's something I've been meaning to tell you all these years" Walker said motioning towards Sasha.

"Make it fast before this gets awkward!" Sasha cried out.

"Pretty sure we're way past that" Phoenix said.

"Ooah!" Peach Basket agreed with a howl.

"Meh..." Lance muttered not caring either way.

"Double bonk!" Noelle, and Isabelle shouted as they clobbered Walker with both of their staffs.

Walker groaned loudly as the pain was so significant that it render his sudden love of everything null. He shook the pain away to find himself suddenly embracing Sasha.

"What the hell are you doing! Get off!" Walker shouted as he suddenly shoved Sasha away from him.

"You lousy cowpoke! You did it yourself!" Sasha exclaimed.

"We all sa~w it" Noelle, and Isabelle sang.

"You two! You're the reason my head hurts suddenly huh?" Walker said turning towards them, still rather angry.

"Uh-oh!" Noelle, and Isabelle exclaimed as they ran away from Walker's wrath.

"My turn! Hiyaa~!" Berry Melon shouted as she clobbered Kimberly.

She stumbled, then collapsed on the floor taking moments to recover.

"H-how long were we...indecent?" Kimberly wearily asked as she was more concern with her mental well being rather than her physical.

"You guys were tied up to a tree, you guys were barely noticeable" Limbo assured.

"I do hope so, the embarrassment I shall endure if others were to witness me in such a state" Kimberly declared in dismay.

"I think Aldo had a sneak peak, and left for home. I believe his said, and I quote 'what cannot be unseen...zam!" Sasha said as she was dusting the dirt off what little clothing she had...

"Oh dear..." Kimberly muttered.

"So...did I do good?" Milky asked as she was slowly recovering.

"Aw~ she's back to normal" Berry Melon groaned as he desire to bonk was left unsatisfied once again.

"I told you it wears off on it's own" Maple told them.

*Smack!*

"See it was gonna wear off, you didn't have to give me a concussion" Walker scolded as he continue to pull on the ears of two struggling Mages.

"*Waaa~* we get it, we get it-" Noelle began.

"Stop pulling our ears *Waaa~*" Isabelle added.

"I say we just forget this whole thing ever happened" Phoenix proposed.

"That's exactly what we're doing...wait, why are you here? We're done doing missions for the day" Walker explained.

"N-no they decided to j-join us" Firefly explained.

"They?" Walker asked.

Lanced hummed quickly to make himself known as he continued reading his book.

"...Fine, there's actually a lot I want explained, but we can discuss this later, it's already too dark to see the road so we'll have to think of another way" Walker said.

"I can take you to the road!" Maple exclaimed.

"Yeah, because you've been a lot of help so far" Walker muttered.

"I could! I know this forest better than the back of my hands!" Maple said.

"...She is an Alraune" Limbo defended.

"...So this is normal then right, it's not just me who thinks this is off" Nina said.

"Yeah, Alraunes are common in our Netherworld" Phoenix explained.

"Fine take us, then pay us for all the trouble we've been through" Walker said.

"That doesn't sound right for some reason" Limbo said.

"Who cares we're demons" Walker retaliated.

"You can't use that as an excuse" Nina said.

"The hell I can't let's go!" Walker exclaimed.

Okay everyone! It's really dark so let's hold hands so we don't get separated" Maple shouted.

"Lets not, but say we did" Walker said.

"Now come on, you don't want to get lost do you?" Maple asked.

"Worst day ever..." Walker muttered.

While it wasn't the most awesome thing he has done in his career, he, and his team had managed to escape the forest to return to the dirt trail.

"...Alright, so you did help us out, but that tree you trapped us in, wasted several hours of my life I won't be getting back, and I better see the HL you give me be worth it" Walker said.

"I have the HL, but looking at your house, I don't think I should give it to you" Maple said.

"That better be a good-what the hell is that!" Walker roared as he saw an unexpected expansion attached to his house like a leech.

"It's a little dark to see, but I think that's the house that blasted off a while ago" Nina said.

"Why is this happening! What the hell did I do to deserve all of this?" Walker cried out loud.

"Now come on, it can't be all bad-" Berry Melon was saying.

Suddenly the roof of their new metal two story building began leaking a hazy purple gas.

"Ah! Pollution! *Faint*" Maple cried out before passing out.

"No, no, no! Not now, you haven't paid us yet!" Walker exclaimed.

"A bleak end to such a frivolous ordeal, my sympathy" Lloyd said.

"Don't give me that! You're the last person I want to hear that from" Walker murmured.

"Is it really pollution? It kind of smells like grape" Milky said.

"This doesn't change anything, come on you!" Walker exclaimed.

"Pack leader doing something, not know what!" Peach Basket exclaimed.

"Damn she's heavier than they look" Walker said as he somehow managed to carry the passed out Maple onto his back.

"You really want to get paid" Sasha said impressed to see someone so obsessive with money compared to her.

"I think I know why she's so heavy Walker" Phoenix pointed out.

Turns out Berry Melon, Noelle, and Isabelle are hitching a ride by holding onto Maple's leaf petals.

"Faster, faster!" Berry Melon giggled.

"Get the hell off!" Walker exclaimed.

"Almost there Walker, push yourself" Nina said.

"This isn't gonna help me shoot things better" Walker grunted.

"I heard it builds character" Nina said.

"So I'm guessing you did this too" Walker said.

"...You know what, I'll help you out" Nina said.

At last they had reached their guild, tired, but with a feeling of things could have been better, but given the circumstances, and where they live they are just glad they didn't all die horribly.

Upon opening the double doors leading to the dining hall they were met with the rest of his teammates, as well as a new face. All of them seem to be enjoying themselves.

"Ah, Walker, you seem to be carrying a lot of luggage for some reason" Aegis said.

"Yeah! The gang's all here now! Come here bros have a seat!" Megas exclaimed.

"I have our meals ready to be served...ah it appears as if you brought another innocent little girl to your-" Elfie began.

"Shut your face!" Walker quickly said.

"Have you been practicing your ninja speech-zam!" Aldo asked.

"Yeah! I have..." Kelly said.

Aldo glared at her.

"*Sigh* no...nin-nin" Kelly muttered.

"My hips are so curvy!" Peachy declared as she randomly danced on top of the table.

"Blood levels...rising!" Schrodinger exclaimed

"Enlightening, now who is that doing something to that drink?" Walker asked pointing at Professor who took several notepads of notes for every drink she took.

"Ya like her? I didn't think much at first, but anyone that cares that much about beer is okay in my books!" Megas declared.

"Almost metal flavor, unknown after taste...comparing to previous drinks show higher interest rate for apple juice by more than eighty percent" Sophie ranted.

"So she's the one who dumped her metal block on my property" Walker said

"It's all hand me down equipment mind you" Sophie corrected.

"I don't know how-" Walker began.

"Rockets" Berry Melon explained.

"...I don't care how, but I want you to take your...house, and get out!" Walker exclaimed.

"I cannot abide your demand for there are complications" Sophie said.

"This can only end badly" Walker said.

"It appears as if I had forgotten to restock on rocket fuel, and had only enough for a single flight. My house is grounded, but not to worries! The foundation in this area is incredible, and there is no risk of my lab toppling on top of your building" Sophie explained.

"Tell me you can at least rent the space" Walker said.

"I am what some might refer to as a...starving scientist" Sophie said.

"Just great..." Walker muttered.

"Ooah~" Peach Basket was heard, obviously impressed with Walker's cursed life, and could not help, but feel partially responsible.

"Oh look the Prinny returned, just in time to start bringing the food in" Elfie said

"I'll get right on it dood" Blank said not sounding excited at all.

"So let us discuss our accomplishments" Aegis said more eager than he should.

"Fine by me, where should we start?" Walker said getting right to the point.

"I'd like to go ahead, and begin, that is if you have something you want confess right away?" Aegis said.

"My duty was to report what I saw-zam!" Aldo confessed.

"Well..." Walker began as he carefully placed Maple onto a nearby seat. "Fine go right ahead Mr. Big-shot!" Walker allowed.

"Our team's assignment were as follows: make contact with the enemy, combat the enemy, distract the enemy for an assault on their leader by our employers, get paid. While our casualties were higher than expected we achieved our mission with flying colors, and were even given a congratulatory hand-shake by an OD. I believe his name was Valvatorez...there's really no need for me to go into detail into that though" Aegis said.

"The man had a strong grip for such a skinny guy!" Megas exclaimed.

"Damn! I missed a chance to meet an OD! Not to mention an OD that isn't even in my Netherworld!" Nina exclaimed

"To think I could have gotten closer than any conspirator has even been to a man from the government if only I had held on long enough" Phoenix said.

"Meh..." Lance muttered.

"Ooah~ curse to never meet OD..." Peach Basket glumly said.

"Fate will not will me such a blessing, a rarity if you will, but of course it is generous in misfortune for the likes of I" Lloyd said.

"Wonderful, now who else wants to fess up?" Walker called out.

"Food is coming d-doods!" Blank shouted as he brought the food from the kitchen over to their still barely fixed table. It was a large tray with several grilled chickens as well as an assortment of breaded garlic sticks, and pasta. Elfie even prepared several bowls of salad to go with it.

"Why don't you tell us all about your little escapade while I was...ugh doing stuff" Sasha challenged while almost ratting herself out in the process.

"...Damn it, okay so there's been a huge misunderstanding, and it all that girl's fault...boy...whatever it feels like being" Walker said pointing at Maple.

"Her name is Maple, and she passed out from the pollution your house was making" Kimberly explained.

"Meow! Mew, mew, mew!" Misha exclaimed

Translation: (End her you fools, she will only repeat the process, she will pay for making me look like a fool)

"How would we wake her up?" Milky asked.

"There is a special way to awaken an Alraune from their slumber" Elfie said.

"Oh yeah? Do you have everything you need?" Walker asked.

"More than enough allow me" Elfie said.

Sophie was paying extra attention, interested in things she had never heard of. Elfie walked towards Maple with a pitcher of water, and splashed Maple with it.

"...That could have woken anyone up" Walker argued.

"Special Alraune waking technique" Elfie insisted.

"Ah~ that was refreshing~" Maple sang as she was suddenly rejuvenated

"Look...Maple, we need you to tell my...f-frie-associates all about that little incident that was entirely your fault, and had absolutely nothing to do with my feelings for any of these migraine causers" Walker said.

"...Oh yeah! I-It was...*sniff-sniff* I'm hungry..." Maple said.

Elfie splashed Maple with more water.

"Well that helped, but I need to go sunbathing, being stuck under a healthy tree's shadow all day made me feel real hungry" Maple said.

"Just tell them everything they saw was a misunderstanding!" Walker exclaimed.

"What did you see?" Elfie asked.

"You are the last person I want knowing about this" Walker said.

"Okay, I overdid it with the pheromones, and you guys got all love drunk, now what are you gonna do about that polluting metal thing!" Maple said.

"That doesn't tell me anything...nin-nin" Kelly said.

"Too bad that's all you need to know, why don't you tell us what your group was doing" Walker said.

"I do hope you enjoy the meal while we do so" Elfie said.

"Okay so like there we were in this really cramp room with pretty buttons that 'bleep', 'bloop', and 'boop'" Peachy began.

"I don't recall ever programming my buttons to 'boop', I'll have to look into this..." Sophie said.

"Schrodinger suffered" Peachy continued.

"It was horrifying, a little comfort would be really appreciated..." Schrodinger said.

"Big baby" Kimberly said.

"Up yours" Schrodinger said.

"We talked...and then we were sent flying towards our house" Elfie added.

"That was a horrible explanation" Aegis said.

"What do you expect, that was basically what happened...nin-nin" Kelly said.

"To an extent, we had a brief discussion of future collaboration, perhaps fairly soon if you cooperate" Sophie said.

"I forgot to mention that part. Sophie wishes to scan your talents, and put them into her computer" Elfie confessed.

"...And you thought I wouldn't be concerned with that?" Walker asked.

"Actually I thought you were a dumb hick who had no clue what any of those words meant" Elfie confessed.

"Damn you..." Walker growled.

"Well in any case, do any of these classes suit your taste?" Elfie asked.

"Well my project has no need for Mages, but perhaps there is something useful to using a staff. However my main concern is finding a fist master, a gun master, a axe master, and a spear master. Firefly has generously donated her abilities with the sword already, and despite the near fatal bug in the system Schrodinger has went through his abilities with the bow were still downloaded into my program without complications." Sophie explained.

"Why are you doing this?" Aegis asked.

"Because...science?" Sophie answered.

"Well better than the usual 'magic' cop-out we've been through" Walker realized.

"Is that an agreement?" Sophie asked.

"What do we get in return?" Walker said.

"You'll be rewarded handsomely" Sophie assured.

"You told us you were dirt poor, and I'm frankly the first time someone tried to pay me with something other than HL I ended up with those two" Walker said pointing at Noelle, and Isabelle.

"Coop House this is Poultry the chicken has landed I repeat the chicken has landed" Noelle said.

"Copy that Poultry we are receiving your transmission now" Isabelle continued.

"That's one small step for fowls, one...giant cluck for chicken kind" Noelle concluded.

"Don't play with your food" Elfie reminded.

"I can assure you I am much more sane than those two" Sophie said.

"I don't buy it, you have to have to be working some kind of angle" Walker said.

"Okay, the truth is I am your stereotypical mad scientist. I cackled madly as my experiments come to life, and my life's goal is to conquer the world through science" Sophie confessed.

"That's better, alright you can stay, provided you do something about your house" Walker said.

"I'm not into interior decorating, or exterior for that matter" Sophie said.

"So now I'm stuck with a tumor for a house next to mine" Walker grunted.

"*Ahem* it is still where I reside" Sophie spoke out.

"Well sorry to hear that, now that just leaves the rest of you, I see you guys brought Blank back, but what else did you do?" Walker asked.

"We were in a big fight! A-and we were all like 'smash', 'smack', 'pow', and 'boom'!" Berry Melon said.

"So~?" Walker asked.

"We were victorious, Firefly ordered us well-zam!" Aldo explained.

"Huh...way to go beyond your duties" Walker said sounding genuinely impressed for the first time in their discussion.

"I-I-I...had help f-from M-Matilda, a-a-and someone else who I j-just forgot their name" Firefly explained.

"You mean that lazy one trick pony actually did something else for a change?" Walker asked doubtful.

"She healed us~ better than Elfie~" Noelle, and Isabelle sang.

"*Hmph*! That's simply because I didn't cash in my mana, which we should all be doing soon" Elfie reminded.

"We'll go tomorrow, now how much have we collected?" Walker asked while glaring at Maple.

"We got a cash ton of HL! I think we broke a record!" Megas shouted.

"Though I get the feeling we lost more than originally planed" Aegis said looking back at his previously fallen comrades.

"Won't happen again" Nina muttered in disappointment.

"Ooah~" Peach Basket groaned in the same matter.

"I never asked for this" Lloyd mumbled.

"We got double our original price, and no one died" Elfie reported boasting the last part more heavily than necessary.

"We earned a sum amount of HL for our victory-zam!" Aldo exclaimed.

"Awesome, we split the pay amongst ourselves, and we'll still have enough to extend this place, it's starting to get crowded" Walker said.

"How much were you looking to expand?" Aegis asked.

"Just some more rooms, and a wider dining room-" Walker asked.

"*Ahem*" Elfie coughed.

"...Maybe a tennis court, and a steam room-" Walker continued.

"*Ahem*!" Elfie interrupted more loudly this time.

"*Sigh~* fine, we'll build you that stupid psychiatrist room already" Walker grumbled.

"It's been long overdue" Elfie said.

"Like my pleads for normal companions" Walker muttered.

"Pass the cheese" Phoenix said.

Lance wordlessly handed Phoenix a slice of cheese while he continued reading.

"They have a point, let's just enjoy the rest of the meal" Walker said.

"That was quite a short discussion wasn't it?" Kimberly asked.

"You mean these things drag out much longer?" Nina asked.

"About time! There's no way my hips were suppose to keep still for so long" Peachy said.

"*Belch~* now how about that dessert?" Megas bellowed.

"Blank shall be delivering it" Elfie assured.

"R-right dood..." Blank responded.

"C-can I stay for dessert?" Maple asked.

"I thought you needed sunlight?" Walker asked.

"Don't you know what plants produce when we photosynthesize?" Maple asked.

"Lived in a desert, didn't care" Walker reminded.

"Quit making that excuse! Nature can be beautiful even in a dessert" Maple said.

"Sasha what do you recall from our old town?" Walker asked.

"Weeds, and hot dirt" Sasha answered.

"Point made" Walker simply said.

"Not even a single cactus?" Maple asked.

"Remember that time you fell onto a cactus field?" Berry Melon asked.

"Now I do" Walker grumbled.

"Did you finally pluck that one needle that was too deep to pull out at the time?" Sasha asked.

"No, maybe If I died, and came back it'll be gone?" Walker wondered.

"Where is that needle? Nin-nin" Kelly asked.

"It's in my-" Walker began.

"Excuse me, but we are eating, have your vulgar discussion someplace else" Kimberly quickly said.

"I was gonna say left shoulder..." Walker said.

"O-oh! W-well be that as it may, y-you should stay away from such...t-things" Kimberly stuttered blushing slightly.

"She has a dirtier mind than me" Schrodinger said.

"Shut your mouth you filthy cur!" Kimberly angrily shouted.

"I think now is a good time to rest before we use these sharp food utensils against one another" Aegis said.

"Good point, everyone dismissed" Walker announced.

"Nightie night, cutie sleep tight everyone!" Berry Melon exclaimed.

"New room, new room~" Elfie sang to herself.

"Snatched that room faster than a grade A thief" Milky mocked.

"If anyone deserved a second room it should be me, I have far too many clothes, and accessories to fit in my room, not to mention all my hair products" Kimberly said.

"Why would you carry so much in the first place?" Nina wondered.

"I'm gonna pretend I didn't hear that" Peachy said quickly following the rest of them to their sleeping quarters.

"C-can I borrow some, is that what normal girls do, and wear? Nin-nin?" Kelly asked

"I hate those! They turn something natural into something...not...natural" Maple said getting annoyed by the topic.

"Woe is thee that lives near their polar opposite, for they must face it daily, and forever more" Lloyd mumbled.

"I know why you're upset! I forgot to share some booze with you! Not to fret bro, I'll fix ya right up!" Megas exclaimed.

"Five hundred HL says he's the depressed type of drunk" Aegis challenged.

"You're on! I raise you five hundred more he'll pass out by the third drink!" Sasha accepted.

"In the end, our astronaut returned to Earth to find out it had been taken over by zombies" Noelle said.

"That's the third time one of your stories ended in a zombie apocalypse" Limbo said.

"I know, even we don't know how we end up in them" Isabelle said.

"D-does he at least s-survive?" Firefly asked.

"That story was horrendously in-accurate, to begin it would have taken much longer for his spaceship to reach Earth rather than the few seconds it took. Secondly, a zombie apocalypse even if it wasn't entirely known back then would never occur so quickly. Your main protagonist was also very two dimensional, and needed more personality with a better background information rather than just astronaut" Sophie ranted.

"S-so...uh...s-s-she's y-your...s-s-sister?" Schrodinger gagged as he spoke to Aldo.

"You need discipline, face me again once you assert yourself as a real man-zam!" Aldo exclaimed.

"Meat~, Meat~ Peach Basket tummy full with meat~. Eyes blinking, tired, sleep~" Peach Basket howled.

"Look at all the mess dood! Couldn't I have stayed dead, or something doods?" Blank exclaimed.

"Where would we be sleeping, I need to check for secret government cameras" Phoenix said.

"...*Yawn*..." Lance yawned while still reading his book.

"Yo~wl, mew..." Misha meowed.

Translation: (Another day, and no sacrifice? How will we summon the dark ones to bring about the end of days)

It went on like this until they approached the hallway where their rooms where held.

"Where will you four be staying?" Walker asked.

"My home landed near one of your rooms during landing, destroying it by sixty three...point four percent, will renovate broken room into a sanitation checkpoint room to ensure no foreign bacteria enters my compound...anymore than they already have" Sophie said.

"...You three?" Walker asked.

"I shall take whatever is available, as well as my comrade here" Phoenix spoke for both of them.

Lance nodded his head slowly.

"You owe me money" Walker said turning to Maple.

"...I think I'll just sleep under the stars, can someone lend me a blanket?" Maple asked.

"You can use mine I won't be needing it" Berry Melon said.

"Oh I get it! It's because you're a Red Mage, and you don't need a blanket to stay warm" Maple said.

"...Yeah?" Berry Melon said.

"Ooah~" Peach Basket howled gazing off into the distance.

"That's funny, it's not the full moon just yet" Elfie said.

"She does that even when it's daytime though..." Milky said.

"Snap out of it Shaman" Walker said.

"Ooah! Peach Basket felt familiar" Peach Basket said.

"Once again I have no idea what she's saying, let's go to sleep before we have to find out" Walker said.

With that they left for their own rooms, the lights in the hallway dimming until only the shadows of the night splattered the walls, floors, and ceiling with darkness. Few rooms had their lights on, but one by one they flickered off save for the kitchen lights which continue to glow with full brightness as a hard working Prinny was nearing the completion of the dirty dishes.

Meanwhile on other side of the town, almost at the complete opposite direction of the guild was a lone girl. Feeling a familiar sense she hasn't felt in years. Basked in the thick carpet of the night the small girl walked towards the town, and upon passing walking towards the center of the dirt path a passing drunk Warrior accidentally ran into her knocking her to the ground. The Warrior slurred an apology...

"Watch were you're going!" The Warrior apologized.

The girl glared her evil red eyes at the Warrior, a warning that for thousands of years demons had hunted down. The Warrior had he'd been sober would have recognized that glare, and Class, but being drunk at the wrong place at the wrong time would soon be his downfall. Not backing down, but rather glaring back the girl muttered something under her breath, and walked away, the warrior thinking he had won dragged himself back to his house, or what he thought was his house. He didn't make it even a yard when a large bulletin board high above a nearby building suddenly detached itself, and crashed onto the Warrior, crushing him. The little girl had no need to turn around to see what had happened, instead snickered to herself as she began to trek across the town to reach the forest at the other end of the main road where a dirt path would lead her to the one she was searching for.

_End of Chapter_

_So~ Disgaea Dimension two...not Disgaea five, but maybe the world isn't ready for it yet. Still a sequel for the first game is still pretty sweet. Thanks again for all the support, reviews, advice, and of course your patience!_


	22. Chapter 22

_Chapter 22: Parents Day_

_So if I drink this bubbly concoction it'll make me a better writer?_

_Sophie: That's what science is about to find out test subject number 11_

_Being a test subject rocks *Glug-glug-gulp*! Enjoy!_

Early Morning: Disgaea Guild Base

Walker is used to a pattern when he wakes up, before anything else he feels his sister's warm breath as he discovers that once again she somehow dragged her sleeping body over to his room for the trillionth time. In another case he could feel himself suddenly colder than he should, and more outside noise than usual which means Sasha has somehow dragged his sleeping body high above some tall object for him to fall down on. Now imagine his surprise when before even opening his eyes he could feel not just Berry Melon's breath in front of him, but a second person breathing down his neck. To add to it he got the distinct notion that he was being watched...intensely, in a way that made him feel like he was on sale, or rather studied from up close. He thought about all of these different ideas, but none of them could best described how he was being watched, it was unknown. Turning his body towards his opposite side with his eyes closed still he heard a soft gasp, but the breathing continued, now instead of his neck it was tickling his mouth, and chin. Seeing as how this was getting him nowhere he opened his eyes, staring back at him were two bright red eyes opened wide with curiosity. Looking at the rest of the body he quickly realized it was his Shaman employee, or so it seemed. Taking a moment to stare which for some reason the girl did nothing during the whole time he realized there was a significant difference. This Shaman's hair was darker, the skull helmet she was wearing had an odd purplish hue, as well as her furry wrist, and ankle bands which were also purple in color. Her leather clothes were black, and her skin was gray. Suddenly a faint memory from his past forced itself onto Walker's mind as if it was planned in case of such an event.

"(Remember Walker, if you see an oddly colored girl with glowing red eyes, stay away from them, or live your life in a complete hell)" Walker's former Outlaw master once told him.

Suddenly he felt a stinging pain in his right eye, as the oddly colored Sorcerer class poked him in the eye for reasons unknown. He bolted out of bed on the opposite side of the intruder crashing onto Berry Melon in the process, both of them hitting ground hard, but only Walker was still awake.

"You smell like her...you didn't touch her in any weird way did you?" The girl asked.

"W-what the hell are you talking about?" Walker nervously asked.

He tried to be brave, or at the very least angry, but something about her stare was causing intense amounts of panic to flood his brain causing his nerves to be shaky as well as his voice.

"You're next in line to be cursed..." the girl muttered.

Walker broke apart her sentence, and came to a sudden conclusion, he rushed out of his room, but stopped just outside his door to see that several of his co workers we're also leaving theirs in worst shape than he was. Aegis came out of his room soaked, his suit still leaking, and squirting water wherever there was a hole for liquid to escape from, Nina was covered in last nights left over dinner Blank threw out. Kimberly was heard sobbing loudly about her hair being ruined from her room, her door was barricaded from the inside to prevent anyone seeing whatever horrible disaster had befallen her gorgeous hair. Kelly was covered head to toe in charcoal grime, Noelle, and Isabelle's faces were stained from what could only be what was left of several apple pies, and were sliding their fingers across their cheeks to taste the dessert. Then it was Walker's turn as he was flattened by his door when it suddenly broke of it's hinges, and landed on top of him with surprisingly heavy force. Soon after that Sasha stumbled out of her room with her arms extended forwards, and grasping the air while occasionally glancing down.

"Glasses, where are my glasses? I can't see a thing without them!" Sasha called out as she continued to search for them, eventually her journey lead her to crash onto a wall.

Elfie came out of her room moments later dragging two heavy iron balls which somehow got chained to her metal wrist cuffs.

"However is responsible for this sick little gag I will have you-" Elfie began until she saw the sorcerer girl leave Walker's room, and made her presence know to everyone. Elfie bit her tongue knowing full well what she was up against, the rest of the party also had a great understanding of her kind, except...

"I'm gonna slaughter her!" Nina shouted.

"Y-you can't! T-t-that's a Purgatory Oracle! She's far too powerful a class!" Elfie declared

"I don't care, I feel like smacking a bitch right now!" Nina exclaimed.

"C-crap! Aegis do something!" Walker exclaimed.

With a swift motion he chopped Nina's skull knocking her out.

"Strange...that one wasn't even drunk enough to realize the danger the thing was in" the Purgatory Oracle said.

"S-she's knew to our netherworld, now what brings such an honored guess to our humble abode which we love, and would be devastated if something bad were to happen to it Oracle" Elfie politely invited.

"Call me Trianna, that is my after all" the Purgatory Oracle introduced herself.

"S-so do you have a business proposition for us, or-" Walker nervously asked.

"You smell just like her, where is she, and what did you do to her? I promise if you tell the truth you won't be cursed for more than three lifetimes" Trianna said.

"I don't know who you're talking-oh no...you don't mean..." Walker muttered.

A door on the far side of the hallway opened almost as if on cue, and Peach Basket came strolling out smelling the air.

"Ooah~ smell like curses~ so happy~!" Peach Basket moaned with glee, but suddenly stopped when she saw the new face who also turned, and saw her.

"Sweetie?" Trianna asked.

"Momma!" Peach Basket shouted with pure happiness.

"Well there's something you don't see everyday...*spit*" Elfie said then perform her healer duty, and spat on Nina's unconscious face to heal her.

Peach Basket was running towards Trianna who had her arms open, and ready for a mother, daughter hug...then one of the lamps suddenly fell, and smacked Peach Basket's head knocking her unconscious as well.

"...I forgot all about that curse I gave her on her birthday..." Trianna realized.

"I thought for sure that skull on her head would have soften the blow" Aegis said.

"I bought really heavy duty light-bulbs that would guarantee to work for centuries...I hate replacing light-bulbs" Walker explained.

"It's one thing after another" Elfie said as she walked over to Peach Basket.

"See, look completely okay, now can you leave...please?" Walker urged.

Normally Walker would rather be caught dead than ask politely, but seeing as how Trianna is not only a Purgatory Oracle, but she was also several hundred levels more powerful than he was.

"That won't be necessary Gunner, I will only stay for a day, or so, and be on my way back to my village.

Moments later Kimberly returned her eyes red possibly from crying so much, but her hair was back to it's beautiful blonde curls after whatever horrible deed had befallen it.

"Whoever did this will be in serious-" Kimberly angrily pouted until she saw the direction Elfie was silently pointing at. Upon realizing she was pointing at Trianna, Kimberly turned pale, and rushed to hide behind Aegis.

"W-w-what is 'her' kind doing here? What did you do Walker?" Kimberly asked.

"Why do you automatically assume this was my fault! Take a closer look why don't you?" Walker angrily hissed back.

Eventually after she was given the Healer's aid, Peach Basket woke up to find herself laying on her mother's lap.

"M-Momma!" Peach Basket slurred, still feeling a little dizzy from the blow.

"You haven't change young one, regardless it's so good to see you again" Trianna whispered softly as she gently petted Peach Basket head.

"S-should we leave them alone for a while?" Kelly asked.

"Yeah...we should warn the others though, I'll let Blank know we have an extra guest here to serve" Walker said.

Working quickly those that were awake broke the news to those still in their rooms, giving them a quick explanation, and telling them to meet at the dining hall which Peach Basket, and Trianna were already located at with the rest of the guild who were already victims of Trianna's cursing.

"I thought you two would rather be alone for a while, you know considering how long it's been" Nina guessed.

"Oh, but it is so much more enjoyable when there's more people involve" Trianna said.

"Why?" Walker asked.

"So where's Peach Basket's mother!" Schrodinger exclaimed with excitement as he rushed inside the dining hall.

Suddenly he stepped on a small puddle of cleaning product, and slid across the hall then smacking head first onto the wall.

"Weird...I don't remember missing a spot dood" Blank was heard saying while Peach Basket looked on in awe, and clapped heartily.

"Just one day..." Walker whispered to himself.

"Hey guys what's going on in this hall-" Megas called out, but was interrupted when a wooden board from the wall suddenly broke off, and swung itself at Megas' face. "Well! Hello to you guys too! I haven't had a plank to the face hello since I was in high school!" Megas said later on.

"Sturdy" Trianna said sounding impressed.

"So you're the Purgatory Oracle! Awesome!" Megas exclaimed loudly.

"Be careful on the way in here!" Walker loudly warned.

"You don't have to tell me that~" Limbo moaned as he phased through a wall on the left side to enter the hall.

A long puff of smoke appeared on top of the table, and out of it came Aldo.

"I have arrived-zam!" Aldo declared.

"Just in time!" Trianna said.

"Watch out!" Elfie cried out from the kitchen.

A rouge dinner plate suddenly flung out of the open door, and going for Aldo. He quickly saw the plate coming, and back-flipped out of the way landing perfectly on his feet, then one of the nails holding the wood in place somehow began to malfunction, and shot out of it's holding place, and directly at Aldo. Grabbing his blade he swiftly deflected the nail out of harms way while Trianna sat there smiling.

"I have spent many a decade honing my ninja skills you'll have to do better than that-zam!" Aldo said as he took his seat.

The seat's legs then suddenly broke appart, and Aldo fell back first as his chair crumbled.

"I have spent many a century honing my curse skills you'll have to do better than that-zam!...Was that right" Trianna mockingly replied.

"Ooah~ Momma great curse master! Know many curses!" Peach Basket fangirl squealed.

"What did I tell you" Walker scolded.

"You did not mention multiple curses simultaneously-zam!" Aldo exclaimed.

"Ninja sense my ass!" Walker mocked.

"Guys I found Berry Melon still asleep on the ground I thought you would have woken her up by now" Milky said dragging Milky behind her as she was too small to carry actually carry her.

"Oh yeah, she's still asleep..." Walker forgot.

"Hm~ this one seems to have been cursed already" Trianna said.

"No, she's always like that" Walker stated.

"C-can someone find my glasses, I-I really want them back..." Sasha called out.

"I suppose you had a hand at this?" Walker asked.

"I have them right here actually, I didn't really curse you" Trianna said.

Taking off her helmet she searched the inside, and pulled out Sasha's round glasses, and returned them.

"Much appreciated-*ah*!" Sasha thanked then shrieked when she put them on.

"-I didn't curse you, just your glasses" Trianna said.

"W-why are all of y'all n-naked!" Sasha exclaimed.

"X-ray glasses curse!" Peach Basket pointed out excitedly.

"X-ray? H-hey can I look through those?" Schrodinger asked.

"Fix it, fix it, fix it!" Sasha repeated her cheeks turning bright red.

"Well since I am in a good mood..." Trianna said.

Retrieving Sasha's glasses Trianna swirled her tiny hands on them several times, nothing more special than that happened, and gave them back. Sasha nervously tried them on again.

"...O-okay everything is back to normal" Sasha said sounding relieved.

"I've had quite enough of these shenanigans, I shall assist Elfie with preparing the meals" Kimberly said quickly storming off towards the kitchen.

"Where is everyone?" Walker asked.

"When we told them the...news, they were reluctant to come out of their rooms" Kimberly said.

"They'll show up, once hunger kicks in they'll have no choice, but to come to us" Nina said.

"We should bake pies more often Isabelle!" Noelle exclaimed.

"We should bake a pie made out of cookies!" Isabelle declared in a stroke of genius.

"Brilliant!" Noelle agreed.

"What we need is to wake up Berry Melon" Walker said.

"I can help" Trianna volunteered.

"But I want her to live" Walker said.

"I-i-i-is s-she here?" Firefly stammered as her carefully entered the room.

"Yes I am here" Sasha announced.

"She didn't mean you" Walker said.

"I wonder when our food will be ready?" Trianna asked.

"Meat! Wanna eat meat! Mamma like meat too!" Peach Basket exclaimed.

"I like mine medium rare, or breathing if that's available" Trianna said.

"Nearly there!" Elfie called out.

At that point Misha, Lance, and Phoenix arrived bumping into Firefly, and practically dragging her with them. Before Walker could question their strange behavior Phoenix gave him an answer.

"S-strength in numbers! Same could be said with overthrowing regimes!" Phoenix explained.

"Meh..." Lance muttered

"Meow~ Mew!" Misha exclaimed.

Translation: (A Purgatory Oracle, I-I'm your biggest fan)

"Curses are always fun in a crowd" Trianna hinted.

"Of course it would, but maybe you should wait for-" Walker was saying.

"Breakfast is served!" Elfie called out bringing two plates, on carrying a tray with several small pyramids of toast, and the second on her left had several small cups of assorted flavored jelly, and jams. Blank carrying a large plate three sizes to big for him over his head had smaller plates withing containing an assortment of various pork meat, from bacon to pork chops as well as scrambled eggs. Kimberly came last carrying several pitchers of cold juice, milk, a large tea-kettle with hot chamomile tea, and tiny pitchers of caramel, and sugar. At this point Sophie, Maple, Peachy, and Lloyd entered the room.

"Where is the Purgatory Oracle!" Sophie exclaimed in excitement while carrying several notepads, a magnifying glass, and a metal bar with a switch, and two metal prongs sticking out.

"Have a seat, and don't you dare do something that will get us cursed for life" Walker ordered.

"I'll comply for now, but when the itch of science is nagging at my skin, I must scratch!" Sophie said.

"...Was that the best you could do?" Aegis wondered.

"I'm a scientist first, and an amateur writer second" Sophie answered.

"Like oh my god it's like totally surreal meeting you like seriously!" Peachy exclaimed.

"I...like you too" Trianna said

"Like thanks!" Peachy excitedly thanked.

"In an endless sea of darkness I am compelled to write my travels...oh vast sea of gloom, and shadow how I am lost in your embrace in a small island devoid of color, and life what awaits me beyond your emptiness" Lloyd said.

"Good morning to you too..." Nina awkwardly greeted.

"Morning" Sasha muttered.

"Just in time, if everyone is here now let's start eating, and get to know our guest a little better...so we don't all die horribly" Walker said.

"Relax Gunner, I won't kill you for no reason, besides you're paying for my daughter's meals." Trianna said.

"Why does she speak so...normally compared to her daughter?" Limbo asked.

"I've had several centuries to practice speaking fluently, even a wild girl from a jungle could master speech if given a few centuries to practice" Trianna said.

"W-why don't we shut our mouths by stuffing them with food shall we?" Elfie awkwardly announced.

"Good idea, and let's hold our questions until after we introduce ourselves to her" Walker ordered.

"Meat! Meat!" Peach Basket shouted with glee

"This is quite a spread, does my daughter eat like this all the time?" Trianna asked.

"Yes! We spend more a lot of our money on two big meals a day, afterward we go out, and do our usual business" Walker said.

"That would be?" Trianna asked.

"Well-*chomp*-depends, we just got back from accomplishing a few jobs we were given, speaking of jobs. Did we get any new mail Blank?" Walker asked.

"No siree dood!" Blank reported.

"Well I guess we'll be asking around for where we can get extensions for our buildings, buy some skills, and actually improve, and call it a day from there" Walker figured.

"Does that mean we all have to go?" Milky asked.

"Does Berry Melon sleep like a log?" Walker answered.

"She's still asleep now-" Noelle began.

"Feeding her is really hard" Isabelle added.

"For crying out loud wake her up already!" Walker exclaimed.

"My name is Sasha...just Sasha it's nice to meet ya!" Sasha said.

"I-...wha-...damn it" Walker muttered.

"Sasha...okay, I'll remember it the next time I work on something" Trianna assured.

Sasha silently munched on her toast feeling slightly more disturbed.

"Okay so how are we going to wake Berry Melon up this time?" Milky said.

"I will attempt something" Kimberly said.

Reaching for a fold in her dress which turns out to be a pocket of some kind she pulled out an arrow, and prodded Berry Melon's rear end. Berry Melon yelped, and jumped out of her seat which she was propped into.

"Owie-owie-owie-owie!" Berry Melon squealed grabbing her buttocks, and running all over the place.

"Dejavu..." Walker muttered

"How hard did you stab her?" Schrodinger wondered.

"Calm yourself jester, it was a tiny pinch she's overreacting" Kimberly assured.

"It hurts-it hurts- it hurts!" Berry Melon repeated.

"Overreacting" Kimberly repeated.

"Well while that's all being settled, my name is Walker, I'm the founder of this...organization" Walker dully said.

"He~y what's with that tone? You don't sound very proud of yourself" Milky said.

"Well we haven't exactly been here a month you know" Walker said.

"How long exactly?" Trianna asked.

"About a week, and half maybe...I kind of lost track of the time" Walker said.

"Still impressive to catch so many followers in such a short amount of time, I wish we had this many recruits in our village" Trianna said.

"Well actually I'm more a client, and you..." Schrodinger said fast approaching Trianna's personal bubble.

"Hello?" Trianna greeted showing a sign of patience.

"Oh babe, your beauty makes the morning sun look like the dull glimmer of the moon" Schrodinger flirted while bringing out a strip of bacon since he lacked any flowers.

"As a fan of the night, and moon's glow I take offense to that" Lloyd muttered unheard.

"...But I've been traveling in the forests, and haven't showered in days..." Trianna explained.

"I-I was uh...using a pick up line, it's a compliment so that you'll go out with me...Schrodinger" Schrodinger said.

"But I already have a daughter, I don't need a mate..." Trianna insisted.

"N-no that's not-I don't care about that, besides I think girls like you are hot" Schrodinger was saying.

"Girls like me?" Trianna asked.

"You know, a mil-" Schrodinger was saying.

"Shut his face up before we all suffer!" Walker quickly interrupted.

"Here I didn't see you eat enough toast" Aegis said grabbing Schrodinger, and stuffing his mouth full of toast, but not to worry it's been buttered, and he's a trained professional so he isn't in any real danger, though he is gagging a lot...

"Huh...so who else wants to say hello?" Trianna offered.

As soon as Schrodinger was able to swallow all the toast Aegis shoved down his throat he suddenly lost his footing, and fell onto a small plate with several pieces of toast left over, and began choking on those, Peach Basket was very impressed.

"In restless dreams I lay awake tormented by past not yet free. I await your embrace once again sweet death, misery thy name is Lloyd" Lloyd glumly replied.

"...Sweetie, I think you cursed this guy too much" Trianna whispered.

"Ooah~ not me, found him like this, all sad, but funny-gave Peach Basket curse dolls!" Peach Basket explained.

"Did he? How very forward of you Mr. Lloyd" Trianna said.

Lloyd raised an eyebrow then contemplated the sadness of life.

"Is there something we're missing?" Nina asked.

"Well were we come from it is similar to gifting someone you care deeply about, though pack mates can give each other stuff too, and not feel too strongly about one another" Trianna explained.

"Lloyd there is no office romance allowed here, keep it after hours" Walker scolded.

Lloyd sighed, and muttered something too depressing, and incoherent to be heard correctly, Peach Basket stuffed more meat on her face.

"Hey Walker was it, I'm looking at that girl with spiky pigtails, but they are not indigenous to this Netherworld" Trianna said.

"M-me?" Nina said.

"Well mines are long, well kept, and curly while yours are...okay..." Kimberly said.

"What's that suppose to mean! They get in the way if I don't keep 'em like this!" Nina argued.

"Well even with hair as short as yours you can do a little better than that" Kimberly said.

"So who is she again?" Trianna asked ignoring the argument.

"Hey! Introduce yourself with composure, neatness, and civility" Walker ordered.

"Shove all that up your ass!" Nina angrily shouted.

"Damn you!" Walker retorted.

"You could have timed that a little better Walker" Elfie said.

"This is getting repetitive" Aegis said with a sigh.

"So a name today perhaps?" Trianna said.

"Hang on a moment we need to hose them down again. Isabelle that's your cue" Aegis said.

"Hi-hi! I'm Isabelle!" Isabelle exclaimed.

"And I'm her sister Noelle!" Noelle exclaimed.

"We're actresses!" Both siblings exclaimed.

"...I, can't seem to find an appropriate response for that" Aegis said.

"Neither can Walker, that's when he gets mad" Sasha said.

"So Isabelle, care to put your more useful talent as a Mage to work?" Aegis asked.

"Kay!" Isabelle said.

"You can do it!" Noelle cheered.

"It's now, or never, they're giving each other a choke hold" Milky said.

"Cry Uncle damn you!" Nina wheezed as she felt the last few gasps of air slowly leaving her.

"You...first!" Walker grunted going through the same thing.

A sudden blast of frost, and snow put a damper into their moods, and halted any form of entertaining violence.

"...Let's go back to eating" Walker said sounding exhausted as he released Nina who released him as well.

"So...nice to meet you..." Nina finally greeted shivering.

"This is fun, every time someone introduces themselves to me something bad happens, I wonder why?" Trianna asked innocently enough.

Everyone looked at each other concerned.

"Nonsense, you're theory lacks evidence, extraordinary claims need extraordinary evidence" Sophie said.

"Right! Evidence" Milky agreed.

"Which is why you'll be the test subject, I'll monitor from a safe distance here" Sophie said.

"That's not-you can't just-Walker say something!" Milky asked.

"Man up" Walker muttered.

"That isn't what I meant, and I'm a girl!" Milky exclaimed.

"Who's a girl?" Sophie asked.

"Me! I'm a girl!" Milky exclaimed.

"And who are you again?" Sophie asked.

"Milky!" Milky shouted.

"Got it" Trianna said.

Milky squeaked, and ran out of the room to avoid whatever bad mojo will happen to her as well, and for the most part it was a pretty good idea...then everyone heard something explode.

"...Please tell me that was outside, and nothing I own was destroyed" Walker asked.

"For the most part" Trianna answered.

"You're messed up" Sasha said.

"For science..." Sophie excused.

"Science is unnatural! You should be ashamed to be so distant against nature!" Maple shouted.

"You oversized amoeba" Sophie muttered with disgust.

"Emotionless robot!" Maple countered.

"Periodic Table of Elements reject!" Sophie added.

"No imagination!" Maple mocked.

"No logic!" Sophie added.

"Take it outside" Walker muttered.

"So she'll have the home-field advantage, you must be telling a humorous line" Sophie said.

"I like that idea" Maple said grinning.

"I request bio-chemical warfare!" Sophie declared.

"That's enough, save it for our enemies" Walker insisted.

"...Perhaps he's right, I'm nowhere near completion of my giant robot, and won't be anytime soon" Sophie realized.

"Great, giant robot, okay. If we're all done eating here let's see where we can go to fix our place up a bit, as I've mentioned earlier we're running out of space, and we'll only get more cramped over time" Walker said.

"More importantly we need to purchase new weapons, and see if we're registered to reincarnate, which I'm certain most of us here can" Aegis said.

"There's over twenty of us though, we can't all go together like this...nin-nin" Kelly said.

"It's fine, so long as we don't get in a fight, or something, besides this might be a good thing. We'll stand out, and people might finally notice us" Walker said.

"So long as we don't crowd the senator's building we'll go unnoticed, apparently there's been a restriction as to how many demons are allowed at once near that sight...hehehe~" Phoenix explained.

"Yeah congrats, in your goal of bringing freedom from the law, you made more, and entrapped us deeper into them" Walker said.

Phoenix felt rather dejected from that realization, Lance gave him a comforting pat on the shoulder, then quickly returned to using two hands to hold his book as he continued reading, even after the guild went outside. On the far right next to where Sophie parked her...house was Milky rubbing off some soot that had covered her body after that loud explosion the team heard.

"Elfie, fix her up, Milky tell us what happened in the meantime" Walker asked.

"Well while I was escaping from imminent doom-*eww~*" Milky groaned as Elfie spat at her forehead. "-Like I said I was escaping from imminent doom, and I thought this was far enough so I was just sitting down like this all normally. Then as I was bobbing my head a little listening to a song in my head I accidentally banged it on the house here. At first nothing happened, then all of a sudden I blew up" Milky explained.

"I might be partially...responsible for this..." Sophie muttered.

"Give a little more detail" Aegis asked.

"Sometimes when my chemicals are a little to hot I set them out on the windowsill with the window open so they can cool...people do that with their pies all the time I saw no difference in this. Still a small bump from such a tiny head could not possible had enough force to tilt my chemical onto her" Sophie said.

"It just needed a little push" Trianna answered.

"Ooah~ Momma cursed when not looking at target! Ooah~" Peach Basket squealed with fangirl delight.

"Can't you make all this black stuff go away too?" Milky asked still dirty with soot, or ash, or whatever was on her clothes.

"I don't have nearly enough spit to clean you up" Elfie answered.

"Not like that!" Milky exclaimed.

"You have a room with a shower, why don't you just use that, and meet us back in town" Kimberly advised.

"O-okay, well I won't be long then!" Milky exclaimed as she dashed back inside, and towards her room.

"This team just isn't the same without Milky...so empty" Elfie said shedding a single tear.

"You can't be serious..." Walker said shocked beyond any words other than what he had just said.

"Just wanting to see if I can make someone feel important...it's part of the rigorous training of a Healer" Elfie said.

"Wow she's really good sis" Noelle whispered.

"I almost believed her there for a moment too" Isabelle said.

"So when you say things like that to me...since I'm your employer, and all" Walker was beginning to realize.

"Walker, do you want my full attention?" Elfie asked.

"Never mind, we're done talking about this!" Walker quickly said.

"Pervert" Kimberly muttered.

"Stop doing that every time I talk to Elfie!" Walker exclaimed as they continued walking.

"Well stop having such lewd thoughts about her" Kimberly protested.

"I wasn't! What crazy things are you making up in your head?" Walker asked loudly.

"I-I certainly have no idea what you are talking about" Kimberly defended.

"Fine I'll let it go, of only so that we don't cross that line, and never look back" Walker said.

"Can't you be less cryptic" Elfie asked.

"No" Walker answered.

"So, hey! You've been around the block a couple of times, have you heard anything from my gal pal Tinker?" Peachy suddenly asked Trianna.

"Hm~ Tinker...was she a Dream Idol by any chance child?" Trianna asked.

"Yes! Yes she was! Oh she was my idol when I first starting out. She would swing her hips in ways I can only dream of, her skin like silky smooth, and totally glowing like all on it's own. Her hair, absolutely perfect, and she had the hottest new moves every time she shows up!" Peachy exclaimed.

"We have talked with one another from time to time, she's doing well for herself, I'll let her know you're still thinking about her" Trianna assured.

"Like oh em gee! If you can give me her autograph I would simply die!" Peachy happily exclaimed.

"Of course, in fact we were once students at Maritsu when we were starting out. I would curse, and hex people while she fixed them right up with her own spells, and vice-versa. We would get in arguments all the time" Trianna told.

"Whoa! S-so how long did it-" Peachy began.

"Don't get your hopes up young one, it still took us quite a few decades to reach the point we did, but then again we were fairly lazy through the most part, but I suppose that's what happens to someone with all the time in the world" Trianna said.

"...Who is that...?" Maple suddenly spoke out.

Ahead of them coming out of the thick forest brush was a Star Skull wearing a tuxedo mumbling to himself while spreading bits of cornbread behind him.

"...Lawrence" Walker said out loud.

Lawrence jolted upwards, caught off guard by the sudden mention of his name.

"Yes! I am here oh lord of all things numerical what is thy bidding?" Lawrence spoke out loud.

"Over here you jackass!" Walker exclaimed.

"Meow! Me~ow" Misha said.

Translation: (Your lord of numerals is weak, and foolish in his belief that all things can be explained with a simple equation, my lord will bring about a dark age of madness, and pain which will engulf all)

"Why are you being extra weird, you're scaring Misha" Berry Melon asked.

"I-I'm not I've had my medication today!" Lawrence announced.

"Medication? What medication?" Aegis asked.

Lawrence shuffled through his pockets, and pulled out a small mushroom.

"...Those aren't medical" Maple said.

"Go away! Go away before you do something we'll all regret!" Walker quickly shouted.

"Alright, fine! Your loss, but when the moon turns to cheese, and crickets chirp then we'll see who has the last laugh" Lawrence declared as he took off into the woods.

"Doesn't he have a shop to run?" Milky asked.

"Someone let's him run a shop?" Nina asked.

"You've only just seen what he blurts out of his mouth, next time I'll send you to buy supplies from him just so you can get use to it" Walker warned.

"I don't think I'm ready..." Nina said.

"No one is" Elfie assured.

"...Seems pretty casual compared to what I've witnessed" Trianna said.

"I'm sure you would love to tell us all about that, but I would like my sanity for just a little while longer if you would be so kind" Aegis said.

"Fair enough" Trianna said.

"Hey before I forget do any of you know how to get a dimensional gate of our own working in our place?" Walker asked.

"For that you'll have to ask a dimensional gatekeeper" Elfie answered.

"I'm afraid most of us prefer to use a gate rather than take the long difficult time it takes to learn how to make one" Kimberly said.

"So anyone can learn, it just takes years, of practice?" Milky never realized.

"Yes, it's part of a sort extra credit curriculum all demons can take, like running a shop, or becoming a senator" Elfie explained.

"Ariel is the only one who can manage a gate in this town, and she isn't native. She was sent by the higher ups to connect this town to the web of other dimensional gates" Aegis said.

"One last thing about gatekeepers is the ridiculous pay they demand. Most of them get payed by our leaders to connect the Netherworld, but private own dimensional gatekeepers all work alone, and ask for ridiculously high prices for their services. Which is primarily why rich, and noble demons can afford them" Elfie concluded.

"So with the HL we're making do you think we can hire one?" Walker asked.

"For a week, or so perhaps, but maybe if you ask nicely I can offer you a loan" Kimbely said in a high, and mighty tone.

"Not gonna stoop to-" Walker began.

"Please, oh please give us some HL" Berry Melon begged.

"Damn it Berry Melon!" Walker exclaimed.

"Walker is right, your posture, demeanor, and tone are all inadequate. I shall demonstrate how a true beggar asks for HL" Elfie said.

"Damn it Elfie! We're fine Kimberly don't make me repeat it" Walker said.

"I think I'm missing something, what is the walking annoyance talking about?" Schrodinger asked.

"Kimberly is rich" Milky answered.

"Well then I...you know, still don't care, Kimberly you suck" Schrodinger said.

"And you are an ignorant pig!" Kimberly shouted.

"Everyone we have arrived at our destination, stop being stupid" Aegis said.

"We'll be extra smart if we get to play a lot-" Noelle began.

"We really like playing" Isabelle said.

"We know" Milky assured.

"So where do we start?" Phoenix asked.

"Let's find someplace that can build us an extra floor" Walker said.

"As a beggar I had no need for such an establishment seeing as how I was homeless so I don't know of such a place" Elfie brought out.

"Luckily I do, I suppose I can lead the way so long as you memorize it's location so I don't have to keep holding your hand" Aegis said.

"Shut up, and lead" Walker grunted.

"So...you'll remember my proposal?" Elfie asked.

"We'll see..." Walker dully muttered.

"What is she proposing?" Sophie asked.

"She requested a second room where she may run a small business of her own as a therapist" Kimberly answered.

"Do I get funding for my science experiments?" Sophie asked.

"Why in the many levels of the Netherworld should I give you HL?" Walker asked.

"To advance all of demon kind!" Sophie declared.

"We've been without science for generations, communing with nature, and we've done a beautiful of living. Which is why I ask for a greenhouse" Maple said.

"First off, you're not an official member, and second, you haven't payed us for your favor. I'm not helping you with jack until you payed your dues" Walker said.

"What you called 'living' is actually primal survival, without the introduction of science we would never have had all the living comforts you have now" Sophie told.

"Before you two start arguing with each other again, I'd like to point out that we're here already" Aegis said.

The building they were standing in front of was quite a sight, towering at two stories, and as wide as two buildings the shop was clearly using their own establishment to advertise their work. The wood was made from a Pink Ivory, though the interior of the wall was composed of a very solid, and durable material. Much like Lloyd's black abode of sadness, and Kimberly's brick house it stood out, only difference was that when demons passed it by they would occasionally give it a second glance before returning to their usual lives. Everything ordinary you would see in a house looked extravagant in the carpenter's artwork the demon called a home. Even the window ledges on the outside felt too high class for any demon's taste.

"How come nobody has tried to rob this place...Milky...nin-nin?" Kelly asked

"W-well I don't know anyone who buys wood here...and everything they own is too heavy for me to take back" Milky said.

"B-b-back pains can be scary, I understand" Firefly said.

"Let's just go in" Walker said.

"All twenty of us-zam?" Aldo asked.

"...On second thought I'll just go in with...Kimberly, Elfie you're with me. The rest of you guys, meet us at the Evility Shop, and get yourselves some skills, and whatever you guys can get with what you got" Walker said.

"You forgot to take me, and my daughter along" Trianna said.

"Peach Basket nodded rapidly.

"No I didn't I just-" Walker was saying, but one glance at Trianna told him not to question her. "...I think there's room in my group for two more actually..." Walker awkwardly said.

"Do you know where it is?" Limbo asked.

"Don't need to, I'll just look for you guys" Walker said.

"Looks like that issue solved itself, we'll just be going then" Phoenix said.

They parted ways with Walker, Elfie, and Kimberly entering the carpenter's shop while everyone else left to get ahead in life. The inside was...impossibly extravagant, by this point the owner, and possible maker was juts showing off. There was a red carpet on a polished mahogany wood floor leading them to the second floor spiral staircase with a marble railing. The first floor was a studio with several unfinished projects from tables to statues of different material. As well as a kitchen, or at least a stove, refrigerator, and several cabinets. On their left was the most impressive sight so far, a miniature fountain rising just above their heads from the highest point, and wider than the three of them combined. The fountain itself was an exact replica of the town fountain depicting the succubus which had once graced their town with her presence at some point. However unlike the town fountain the carpenter's personal fountain was actually working, and squirting glistening water. Several couches surrounded the fountain for optimal viewing pleasure.

"This is glorious, but where is the maker of all these impressive pieces?" Kimberly wondered.

"Shiny~, pretty~" Peach Basket.

"Yes, it's a little...excessive though...still a hut with some dolls are just fine for me" Trianna said.

Close to the door was a bell attached to a silk string. Elfie's curiosity took control of her, and rang it, moments later they heard the shuffling of feet from upstairs.

"Coming~" Sang a voice quickly descending down the stairs.

"So it's a girl?" Walker said.

What came down was not a girl, but rather a Prism Skull.

"Customers! Oh! I'm so excited, I feel like a schoolgirl!" The Prism Skull proclaimed.

Walker wanted to say something, but decided against it...something about the owner being a powerful Skull might have something to do with it.

"(Is there a shop owner her who's not in some way strange?)" Walker thought to himself.

"Are you the maker of all these wonderful works of art?" Kimberly asked.

"Aw~ stop it, you're flatterer, but the answer is yes, I am! Comet the magnificent!...The uh magnificent part isn't part of my name, just a little thing I added to jazz it up" the Prism Skull now named Comet said.

"We are well met Comet, I am Kimberly" Kimberly said giving a gentle curtsy as she did so.

"Let's just get the introductions over with, I'm Walker" Walker said.

"A gunner? It's true, your kind have sharp, cocky looking eyes under those hats. I like" Comet said.

Walker shivered a little, but kept his cool.

"I am Elfie, a simple beggar made employee by the Gunner next to me" Elfie said.

"I like her honesty" Comet commented. Then he turned towards the two Sorcerers, "*gasp* you do know there are shamans following you around do you?" Comet asked.

"Yeah, one of them works for me too" Walker declared.

"Me, me! Peach Basket!" Peach Basket exclaimed jumping up, and down.

"I'm her mother Trianna, and it's a good sign when a sorcerer has not hexed you upon sight" Trianna said.

"That's a relief, I feel myself practically melting in that comfort" Comet said.

"So~ back to why we're here" Walker said.

"Right! You want some remodeling done right? Just show me your house, I'll take it from there" Comet assured.

"It's the old hotel/restaurant on the dirt path leading toward the woods" Walker said.

"So you're the one who bought that land right from under me! Goodness I thought I was the only one with good taste" Comet said.

"It was the only place I can fit a bunch of people in, I'm starting a guild" Walker said.

"Fabulous! I was gonna convert it into a jazz club, but I like your guild idea too" Comet said.

"Well it's starting to get a bit crowded now with twenty of us, so we thought we could ask for an extension. Perhaps a second floor to hit it all, and a furnished therapy room on the side" Elfie said.

"We haven't all agreed on that last one" Walker corrected.

"No problem! I'll just see your permit from the senate, and we can get started" Comet said.

"...Permit?" Walker repeated.

"Why yes, of course! Don't you know? Any expansion of a building whether it requires height, or more land needs permission from the senate" Comet explained.

"...Crap..." Walker muttered.

_End of Chapter_

_Another bad few weeks of no ideas, and proofreading...still feel like there's a lot of errors, but I'll fix them later. I also have a one shot I've been working on, but that one is taking even longer than this one, and won't see the light of day for quite a while since I'm primarily focused on finishing this one. Thanks for the reviews, support, and most importantly your patience._


	23. Chapter 23

_Chapter 23: Free day_

_Step one to reach two hundred thousand is near completion, once we begin step two, then we'll achieve step three! Total domination!_

_Maple: That's all, sunshine, and daisies, but what was step two again?_

_Step two!...is...uh...well it...screw it, forget total domination. Enjoy!_

Walker, Elfie, Kimberly, Peach Basket, and Trianna outside of Comet's Carpenter shop

"It appears as if this will require more effort than previously stated" Kimberly said.

"Walker didn't you talk to the senators before starting your guild? I don't think they know we even exist" Elfie said.

"I know, I know, but I was running on a tight schedule, you guys have no idea how hard it was rebuilding the damn place from scratch" Walker said.

"Whining get pack leader no place! Speak to leaders, get bigger house, go, go!" Peach Basket said.

"My adorable daughter is correct, I would be very...displeased if your living conditions for my young one where not at their best at all times. You should listen to this old woman, and talk to the senators" Trianna said.

"Why don't you go in my place, hell someone like you would have them eating out of the palm of your hands" Walker stated.

"While that is correct, I can't let you take any shortcuts, imagine my dismay seeing my daughter following such a weak pack leader. Why I'm afraid I'll have to take my daughter away, and I can't guarantee your safety, or life if it were to come to that" Trianna said.

"Okay, okay I'll do it, but I can't go empty handed, there's gotta be something we can bribe them with, I don't think they'll take too kindly knowing they're helping someone that could pose a threat to them in the future" Walker said.

"You're full of yourself if you think we will be anywhere near taking the senators down...ever" Eflie said.

"Nice to such confidence in my team" Walker grunted sarcastically.

"Still Walker has a good point, treasure, and goodies will surely distract them from their phobias of large organizations if only this one time" Kimberly said.

"Peach Basket's pockets empty!" Peach Basket declares.

"Our kind don't usually have pockets anyways...usually we use leather knapsacks" Trianna said.

"I'll be sure to add that to my notes of useless trivia" Elfie said.

"...You really have a notebook of useless trivia don't you" Walker said.

"Indeed" Elfie said.

"Dear me can't you spend your days in a more procreative level? While not working I enjoy the comforts of a good Darjeeling tea, while listening to my records of classical music...which I would have been doing so have I not been working nonstop since I've join your crusade" Kimberly said shooting an angry glare at Walker.

"There's nothing to do after this, we finish this up, and you can take all the time you want until a customer calls for you. Really this is all we have left to do for a while" Walker said.

"See that your statement is so, otherwise I shall cast you away" Kimberly said.

"Don't Elfie can't do the things with a bow that you can, and the only other archer won't even talk to me" Walker said.

"Well I- when you put it like that, I suppose I could endure it for... a while, be thankful" Kimberly muttered, struck by Walker''s words.

"That goes double for me correct? After all I am the only one in our group that can actually heal others" Elfie gloated.

"Didn't you notice Maple, and Sophie? They can both cast heal too" Walker said.

"If memory serves me correct, they should be at the Evility shop boosting their skills as we speak" Kimberly said.

"No worries, I can buff up my skills as well" Elfie said.

"Now that I think about it, some of us might be strong enough to reincarnate into something better, I'm almost there myself, I wonder how I can make that work while still keeping a strong team together" Walker said.

"I've noticed, my young one is close to becoming Witch Doctor...proud of you" Trianna said.

"Ooah~" Peach Basket yowled in pride.

"Even though she's been dead for decades?" Elfie asked.

"That reminds me, what happened Peach Basket? Why did your pack abandon you?" Trianna asked.

"Ooah~, Peach Basket not remember, foggy, clouded, cursed with amnesia!" Peach Basket exclaimed.

"It does happen, you've been dead for so long you kind of forget what happened all those years" Elfie said.

"Nothing we can do about it now" Walker said.

Trianna hummed to herself, a thought, or rather an idea formed in her mind.

"Doesn't it feel like something is a bit off here?" Elfie asked.

"Did you just realize this now? I had thought it was obvious" Kimberly said.

"It's definitely looks like a ghost town" Walker said.

Sure enough a look around the town revealed absolutely nothing, the community that was loud, rowdy, and on some occasions violent was nowhere to be seen despite all the shops still being open, but if one were quiet enough, they could faintly hear whispers coming from the buildings.

"Was it something I said?" Trianna wondered.

"It feels like we're being watched" Walker said.

"You get use to it eventually, the hardest part is having to deal with the sweaty red faced men who have a bit of drool while they are undressing you with their eyes" Elfie said.

"Quite a disturbing image you have given me Elfie, bravo" Kimberly said.

"Ooah! Peach Basket want that too! But more fear, more shaking kness, more screams of terror!" Peach Basket shouted.

"Can we get on a topic we can all talk about normally? Actually cancel that, I see everybody else ahead" Walker said noticing the rest of the guild crowding around a small stand.

"It appears as if we haven't missed anything special" Kimberly said.

"Ahoy! Have you plundered a mighty load of treasure?" Noelle called called out.

"Aye matey! We're up to our pantaloons in gold doubloons!" Isabelle added.

"Why are they talking like that?" Walker called out as they neared the rest of the team.

"I don't know, we couldn't get them to stop after you left!" Nina shouted back.

"Stop shouting, we're close enough to hear our normal speaking voices" Kimberly said.

"Sorry, caught in the moment" Nina apologized.

"So are you guys all powered up?" Walker asked.

"Most of us purchased a secondary special, as well as boosted them a level, or so. Peachy finally learned all the stat boosting spells she was missing, now all that remains is you four" Aegis reported.

"That was weird, so you're telling me I didn't have to work at leveling up my attacks, I could just buy them?" Nina asked.

"Yeah, we're pretty ahead of the curve" Berry Melon showed off.

"How's the shop owner...is he a mental patient too?" Walker asked.

"He was...a unique cowpoke" Sasha said.

"Not much for conversation, holds a lot of himself back, and I think he's a mind reader" Milky pointed out.

"Why?" Walker asked.

"He gave Lloyd a banana...just out of random, but Lloyd didn't seem annoyed, or confused by it, in fact he's enjoying it! Scary~" Limbo said.

"My stomach is full, yet my heart remains empty" Lloyd reported.

"Bro even told me where I could get some high quality keggers, well the bro didn't say much, just drew me a map with a picture, and a X on it" Megas shouted.

"It's not mind reading, just extreme training we normally go through. I read what you want most of the time, it's just that I don't care, or do anything about it" Aegis said.

"Fan-freaking-tastic, well if that's all you have to say then dismiss, all of you. You're done for the day, we're gonna finish up here, but don't wait-" Walker began, but before he could finish most of his guild has already rushed away from him.

"I take it they really didn't want to sit through his another day" Elfie said.

"They'll be back...hell some of them owe me so they better come back" Walker muttered.

"Well let's shuffle off to meet the shop owner shall we? There's a good Gunner" Kimberly said.

"For some reason what you said kind of pissed me off, but I'll ignore it for the meantime" Walker said as they walked towards the shop owner's store.

Much like the weapon, armor, and item store this store was merely a stand, but with no wares to show. Walker, and his group approached them man, a Heavy Knight with a level reaching the triple digits. The group stared at him waiting for a greeting of some kind, but he simply stared, gave a small nod, and pointed at a small sign sitting on his table which read 'Takehisa, Evility Trainer'.

"Walker I just realized that we were talking about him while he was listening in" Elfie said.

"We're still doing it" Kimberly said.

Takehisa, the trainer knocked on his table alerting everyone back to him.

"R-right! Okay, so can you...do the uh...level up thing?" Walker awkwardly asked.

Takehisa nodded, and motioned for Walker to move forward, he did so, and suddenly Takehisa brought up what at first glance appeared to be a gun. Walker instinctively drew his own gun, but Takehisa slowly shook his head, the gun Walker mistook as a threat was in fact a scanner. He pulled the plastic trigger, and motioned it downward from his head to torso, a thin horizontal lazer grazing Walker. Soon after that he tapped at the table again where Walker saw a pad that gave him a selection of what he can upgrade at the time. His choices comprised of three general categories: skills, evility, and of course the option to level the skills Walker currently possesses.

"Uh...I want to buy a skill" Walker said.

Takehisa tapped the pad, more precisely tapped on the bar that read 'skills' bringing Walker three options, two of which he could not afford.

"Touch screen...magic, or tech?" Walker asked.

Takehisa brought up two fingers, meaning Walker's second guess was correct.

"Alright, works for me. I'll just take that special there, and boost my skills with what's left, so what do I owe you?" Walker asked taking out his wallet.

Takehisa shook his head.

"Walker is this really your first time upgrading?" Trianna asked.

"S-shut up, I just got here!" Walker excused.

"All upgrades are free, the only price you pay is Mana which you are at least aware of how much you carry" Trianna explained.

"He's like our curious child who doesn't know anything, and I'm the mother with the wisdom to teach" Elfie said.

"You shut up too" Walker exclaimed.

"If you are done then allow me to increase my skill as well if you would be so kind" Kimberly said.

"No need for fancy words I got ya" Walker said.

"No need to speak as if I've decided to stoop down to your level either" Kimberly pouted.

Walker grunted something under his breath, and moved to the side now that his exchange was complete. She too purchase a skill, and leveled them up to the extent of her mana wallet.

"Hm~ adequate, but still a far ways off from decent" Kimberly shrugged.

"Peach Basket want turn! Me, me!" Peach Basket exclaimed.

"Yes, yes I am quite finished here" Kimberly said moving away.

Takehisa remained standing still, but glanced at Trianna, and took a few millimeters back from his stand, and avoided all eye contact on her entirely. Mother, and daughter fussed in hushed voices over what to do, mostly Trianna advising Peach Basket on what to improve on, seeing as how she had already purchased all skills, but her weapon skills. After a quick second spear special purchase Trianna, slipped some spare Mana potion to Peach Basket allowing her to level up all her skills by one level.

"Ooah! Peach Basket strong! Peach Basket curse everything!" Peach Basket roared while stomping her feet on the ground repeatedly.

Trianna stared at Takehisa who reluctantly stared back for no longer than two seconds before reaching under the stand, and bringing out two dark magenta mittens, and gave them to Peach Basket who took them with a puzzled look.

"...Why?" Walker asked.

"The rest of you can tough it out, or bring your own" Trianna simply said.

"Before this becomes more grating to the mind I say we should allow Elfie to make her purchase so we can enjoy the rest of our day off" Kimberly said.

"Why am I last?" Was all Elfie had to say as it was her turn to purchase her skills.

Elfie walked towards the stand, and made her purchase of a Mega Heal, Espoir, and a second bow skill, and with what was left she leveled her healing, and Espoir by one level.

"You guys can go now, try to make the most of today, I really don't care what you guys come up with when you're not work-" Walker allowed.

Once again his so called 'loyal' team ditched him in a heartbeat, all except for Peach Basket, and Trianna, and only because Peach Basket would go anywhere her mother goes.

"Well...aren't you going to get that permit to rebuild your house Walker was it?" Trianna asked.

"Yeah...I'll just get right on that..." Walker said.

Awkwardly walking towards the senate building with two sorcerers behind him, he never felt more unlucky before in his life. Despite this he made it to the building without a scratch, though he did bump into several of his guild members who were apparently the only civilians not in hiding so the had the town, and it's shops all to themselves.

"This is as far as I will follow, you just speak your case, and perhaps they'll show generosity...or beg, plead, and cry for what you wish, and maybe they'll show sympathy because I'm sure you won't be able to force them to even pay attention" Trianna said.

"Thanks I really needed that" Walker muttered as he forced himself up the step of the building.

"Even after all I've said you're still going to try, without anything to bribe?" Trianna asked.

"Well what the hell else can I do? At best they say yes, and at worst they say no, and I try again the next time" Walker said.

The floor was made of a black dyed marble, a hallway on both sides were present with signs next to them instructing the reader on which room handles whatever topic, or bill needed to be voted on. Two wide staircases upstairs leading to the second floor were on the opposite side of the room with a curved polished table with a receptionist, or clerk, or secretary sitting in a comfy, leather seat. A Star Mage twiddling her fingers in boredom from the lack of clients, and visitors looked away from her activity to see Walker walking towards her.

"Finally someone comes along, we've been empty since we opened, I get payed either way, but it's still really boring" the Star Mage said.

"Yeah see there's a really tough Purgatory Oracle on the loose, guess that's why" Walker said.

"I'll believe it when I see it, so! What do you need? Really I can't do anything for ya, I just point to where you need to go" the Star Mage explained.

"Well howdy to you too, I'm looking to get a permit to get extensions for my building, the carpenter told me to go to the senate" Walker explained.

"Comet did?...Don't give me that look, he's the only carpenter in town of course I'll know who he is" the Star Skull said when she saw the change in Walker's stare when he mentioned Comet.

"Does he do good work?" Walker asked.

"If you can put up with all his gossip, and clothing tips he's a great builder, it also helps that he uses magic so the job get's done much quicker" the Star Mage said.

"Great now tell me where I can get a permit so I can get him started on my headquarters" Walker asked.

"Third door on the right hallway, you may need to wake up the senators, or bring attention to yourself before you can ask what you want" the Star Mage pointed out.

"Thank ya kindly" Walker muttered as he walked towards his destiny.

"Don't get killed" the Star Mage waved farewell.

Walker walked towards the room previously directed towards, contemplating his chances. On one hand they could be so impatient to get it over with they might just pass it if it means never having to deal with him again. On the other they might just be as corrupt, and twisted as Phoenix constantly wants everyone to know, and that's not far from the truth either. People with power on most occasion lack responsibility to use it efficiently...

"Here goes something..." Walker said to himself, and opened the single door.

The room was large, dignified, and a little threatening by itself even without the senators standing around.

"(Perfect for a politician)" Walker thought to himself.

The senators all of them monster class ranging from a three Prinnies gang together closely, four Catsabers all napping. Two Gargoyles discussing something private to one another. There were also three Green Slimes standing, or sitting, or crouching? Walker could never guess what position their gelatinous bodies took if any. Lastly there was lone Cu Sith sitting by himself on top of a table glaring at Walker as he walked towards a podium where the speaker goes to claim his request. The Cu Sith growled loudly drawing all the senator's attention towards himself, and Walker.

"Finally!" One of the Green Slimes gurgled through it's non-existing mouth.

"This a bad time?" Walker casually asked.

The Cu Sith barked loudly for several seconds, then one of the gargoyles moved besides him.

"What he's saying is 'no, state your claim Gunner Class'" the Gargoyle translated.

"This is the place to ask for permits to allow building extensions right? Because that's what I'm here for" Walker answered.

The Cu Sith barked several more times in different tones.

"He said 'very well, we shall decide now, but first would you present anything in your possession that could benefit your cause, and turn our decision in your favor'. Wait a moment as we seat ourselves" the Gargoyle translated.

"I...don't have anything to give" Walker admitted.

"Then we shall make our decision now" the Gargoyle said.

"Aye!" The first Catsaber started things off.

Walker smiled.

"Nay!" The second, third, and fourth Catsaber added.

Walker scowled.

"Nay-dood" All three Prinnies added.

"(Maybe I still have a chance)" Walker said.

"Nay" the first Gargoyle said.

"Aye" the second Gargoyle said.

"Nay" the Cu Sith concluded

"With a score of two ayes, and eight nays the Gunner's request is denied" the Gargoyle declared

"On what grounds? What reason do you have for rejecting my request?" Walker exclaimed.

The Cu Sith snarled.

"What he's saying is 'we don't have to answer to you, if you're that desperate to change our minds, then man up, and do something about it'" the Gargoyle translated while cracking his knuckles.

Walker was about to let his anger get to him, but realized this fight was impossible, he took a deep breath, and turned away, but the door he was exiting from opened. Not on his own of course, a little girl with a surprising age count walked in with a sinister smile, showing her sharp daggers she calls teeth.

"Trianna..." Walker spoke.

Several of the senators gasped suddenly at the sight of the Purgatory Oracle, the Cu Sith held a whimper, and settled for a nervous growl.

"You're a stupid pack leader" Trianna said.

Walker glared at her.

"-But you are determined. Wouldn't be surprised if you kept this up for days on end, but I want what's best for my young one as quickly as possible, and I'm only going to be here a day, so against everything I was taught, I'll bring you some luck, and handle this one myself. I'll issue the command, you just wait for me outside the door." Trianna said.

Walker shrugged, not wanting to lose his cool composure by acting like a thanking desperate man, and left the senate room.

"W-wait! Take us with you dood!" the Prinnies shouted.

Walker closed the door behind him sealing their fate, almost instantly he heard Trianna shout "Battle Start".

Walker waited, leaning his back on the wall on the right side of the door, thinking about flavoring sarsaparilla with something else. Chocolate, and strawberry were the first on his list. Glancing to his left he saw Peach Basket jumping up, and down with excitement, and the biggest grin on her face.

"Meteor Shower!" Walker heard Trianna shout.

Several loud crashes were heard, then everything went eerily quiet for Walker. Suddenly he heard a barrage of explosions, and saw the door rattle, doing everything it can to keep itself on the hinges. He even felt the walls rumbled on his back as whatever force was being introduced in that room, he had to admit though the rumbling felt good in his tired back, it even felt warm to the touch. After that silent, then a loud growl from what he guessed was the Cu Sith, then the sound of blades slashing repeatedly at something followed by the return of silence.

"Around the Moon!" Trianna shouted.

Walker heard what sounded like something being stabbed, and then a rocket going off? He wasn't entirely sure, but the noise traveled away from his hearing until everything returned to it's eery silence again. Moments passed, and then he heard the same sound, but steadily growing louder. Finally a loud explosion was heard with enough force to shoot the door out of it's hinges, and through the opposite wall of the hallways. Walker too nervous to look at the carnage waited...then Trianna came out, brushing off some debris from her shoulder.

"Here you go, they dropped it after our fight" Trianna said handing out a piece of paper.

Walker looked through it.

"...This is a letter of confirmation to my request" Walker realized.

"Now then, I would like my daughter to have a little extra room to keep a shelf of some of my old books, ingredients, and a large cauldron to stew things up with" Trianna said.

"What is she going to stew in there?" Walker asked.

"...Sorcerer's stew of course...don't ask, it's better this way" Trianna said.

"Done, she'll have a room extension for her stuff" Walker agreed.

"Ooah!" Peach Basket shouted happily.

"Goodie, now if you're done let us enjoy the rest of this trip. I still don't see you as a suitable pack leader. I shall have to accompany you further to see if you are truly competent" Trianna said.

"Well there goes my afternoon at the pub" Walker grunted.

"Doesn't concern me where you go, so long as I'm entertained, and my daughter is happy" Trianna said.

"Alright fine, I guess since most of the townsfolk are gone we got the place to ourselves, there's gotta be something to do around here" Walker said.

As they walked out of the hallway, Walker glanced at the receptionist table, but saw no one standing behind it. Looking more closely he saw the young Star Mage shaking underneath the table.

"We're leaving" Walker softly spoke.

The Star Mage shrieked, and jumped up from her hiding place, and ran out the door.

"Was it something I said? Oh wait, yeah it was a little while ago actually" Trianna said.

Aegis, Nina, and Megas

Loud roars of excitement were heard just outside of town on the opposite end of the forest where the guild was located. Inside a wooden building the size of a small warehouse lived the Golem fraternity Megas is still currently residing in. The large hall inside was emptied of most furniture, but a lone round table covered in empty beer mugs, and crowding that table was Megas, Aegis, Nina, and the leader Golem of the fraternity downing mug after mug of beer in a competition of endurance.

"Chug, chug, chug!" Shouted the Golems around them, then roared in applaud, cheers, and stomping as the four finished their twentieth mug.

"Another!" Aegis exclaimed.

"K-keep em coming!" Nina slurred.

"You're on your last legs girly, you think you had a chance against the master kegger, the king chugger, the lord of booze?" the Golem frat president shouted.

"You, shut your mouth face, or I'm gonna shut it for you!" Nina shouted growing more, and more agitated, this only excited the Golems even more.

"Didn't I say she's a party animal! Let's go! Round 21 baby!" Megas shouted.

A Golem came with a keg, and refilled their drinks, almost as soon as the last mug was filled they began downing their beer.

"Chug, chug, chug!" The golems continued to chant.

All four of them finishing their drinks, and slamming their mugs, Aegis tipping slightly to the left, but quickly regained himself.

"We're gonna be here all night! Get the extra from our emergency stock! I ain't losing this one!" The frat president declared.

"You're gonna, and that crown, and sash will be mine, all mine!" Nina shouted.

"Over my drunk body girly!" The frat president proclaimed.

"I'm just happy for the free drinks" Aegis said.

"Hit me! 22 my lucky number!" Megas exclaimed.

Milky, Kimberly, Limbo, and Sophie.

The girls, and Limbo found a pleasant restaurant with an outside patio to serve customers on, but besides the employees, the restaurant was empty. They ordered their drinks, and meals, and as they waited for their food they had time to discuss.

"-Right after that it became apparent that I didn't properly clean the incision as a few days later it got infected, and I had to reopen it, and start from scratch. This in turn also left several of his organs to malfunction, therefore replacements were needed at that moment, replacements I could not find. That is why I couldn't keep the hamster...it died" Sophie finished.

"My that was...unpleasant..." Kimberly said as she continued to sip from her raspberry ice tea.

"Do you think I could have been a rodent of some kind in my past life?" Limbo asked.

"You're a ghost, you should be proud of what you are now, not what you should, or could be" Milky said rather loudly than usual.

"Dear, that was a tad eccentric is something amiss?" Kimberly asked.

"N-no, nothing is wrong, I'm fine, let's just stop talking about the past" Milky said.

"Walker had spoken to me of your treasured belonging ruined a while after he met you, does that pertain to your discomfort?" Kimberly asked.

"I-I just want to leave the past, in the past. This isn't an intervention" Milky said.

"Obviously not, though I still had several other gruesome procedures, and experiments I have done to discuss with all of you" Sophie said.

"Very well, how are you all enjoying your iced teas? I just recently discovered these strange elixirs, and I simply adore them. Not as sophisticated as Earl Grey, but very bright, and fruity nonetheless. I enjoy how the drink radiates with the glow of the sun, and the glass reflecting that radiance everywhere like a stained glass portrait" Kimberly described.

"Yeah I think it's okay too" Milky said.

"Enjoyable during the summer time" Sophie agreed.

"I'm a ghost" Limbo reminded.

"And that was our daily reminder, do try, and not repeat yourself would you Limbo?" Kimberly asked.

"I do wish the selection was far grander though, I've only encountered a handful of flavors, and from what I can get out of these servants that's all they stock" Kimberly said.

"Ice tea is merely a set amount of ingredients mixed together, and cooled to a certain temperature then served on a glass. Easy enough to replicate once you know the chemical compound, and mixtures" Sophie said sipping more of her ice tea afterward.

"So you can make home brewed iced tea?" Milky asked.

"Given the accurate conditions needed, affirmative" Sophie assured.

Kimberly gulped her recent sip in shock, very unladylike, but she could forgive herself if what Sophie had said was true.

"What would those conditions include exactly?" Kimberly asked.

Sophie thought for a moment, then wrote somethings in her notebook. Seconds later she was finished.

"A large vat, several vials, and the ingredients of course. I have them all listed here" Sophie said.

At this point their waiter, a Red Skull came with a platter of sandviches.

"Y-you're food is done, can I go back inside now? Please? I heard there's a Purgatory Oracle around here" the Red Skull whispered loudly.

"Yes, yes, that is all fine now, but we shall take our food on the go. We are going to pay a visit to the item shop owner ladies" Kimberly said.

"Sounds like fun, I'm in" Milky said.

"It appears as if science is needed once again, let us depart" Sophie said.

"I kind of want to haunt around this area first-whoa!" Limbo muttered, but was quickly yanked upright with the rest of them as they walked towards Lawrence's Item shop soon after paying.

Sasha, Elfie, Peachy, and Schrodinger

Having nothing better to do the girls were thinking up new ways of overthrowing Walker, and taking over as the new bosses of Disgaea Guild...for fun of course.

"So after I spike his sarsaparilla, he'll be out like a shot lightbulb, and all y'all have to do is stuff the pillow on his face" Sasha explained.

"An excellent plan, but a tad dull in my books" Elfie commented.

"You're plan involved a marching band, and truck load of durians, ya can't be telling me that" Sasha said.

"In my defense, durians are the most dangerous kind of fruit, next to banana peels" Elfie said.

"It's still dumb! Why do we need the marching band to play anyways?" Sasha inquired.

"As I've said, to distract him when the truck full of durians falls on his head" Elfie said.

"Well how are we gonna get a truck over his head without him knowing?" Sasha asked.

"When it's cloudy, that way the truck won't make a shadow when it's over him" Elfie explained.

"Oh! Oh! I have something, ah, what do you call it...idea? Yeah idea!" Peachy said.

"Let's hear it" Sasha invited.

"Okay so you take this long rope, and...gosh what did she to do with it? Anyways you take this long rope, sneakily tie it around his ankle, oh gosh I remember this one time I twisted my ankle it was so~ scary, and it hurt, but I got better. So you tie rope, and then you get this cow right-or horse, bull too if you have it, but I guess a horse if faster, and a cow won't do much, why did I say cow just get a horse oh gosh this is embarrassing. So as I was saying you slap the horse, she'll get spooked, and run away-oh, but remember to tie the other end of the rope to the horse otherwise you'll lose a horse, and you'll have to try again. Now then-" Peachy went on.

"That's sounds like too much trouble already" Elfie said.

"You haven't even listened to the good part yet!" Peachy huffed.

"Ladies, ladies maybe you two can settle your argument over a little mud wrestling?" Schrodinger suggested.

"Why are you following us again? Don't you have some recruiting to do for yerself?" Sasha asked.

"I haven't gotten a single lady to accompany me as of yet, and with the town more empty than ever how can I?" Schrodinger said.

"Make believe" Elfie suggested.

"You're too cruel sometimes" Schrodinger said.

"Geez, it's almost like we're demonic, or something" Sasha said.

"Well you could still show some class" Schrodinger said.

"Really, what would you have in mind?" Elfie asked.

"I don't make yourselves useful, and play a theme song about me" Schrodinger figured.

"Or I could make you dance at gunpoint" Sasha said.

"Okay!" Peachy agreed

"R-really?" Schrodinger asked.

"But only if I get to sing it" Peachy said.

"That works for me" Schrodinger said.

"Now all we need are some instruments" Peachy said looking around.

"There is a music shop not far from here that will suit our needs" Elfie said.

"Why the hell would you tell her that?" Sasha said.

"She asked, and I answered honestly, I acted on instinct" Elfie said.

"Alright! Portable marching band is a go!" Peachy said.

"I just wanted to con demons out of their HL, is that so much to ask?" Sasha asked herself.

Berry Melon, Noelle, and Isabelle

Returning to Noelle, and Isabelle's house they girls grabbed as many toys as they could hold in their inventory, sure Berry Melon had to throw away several healing items, and a certain ammount of fairy dust, but it's gonna be worth it when she playing with that awesome toy firetruck. Looking through their wardrobe the twins we're struck with inspiration.

"Me thinks I have found our calling!" Noelle exclaimed.

"Argh?" Isabelle asked.

With these, we shall make pick their treasure's clean, and send them to Davy Jones' Locker!" Noelle said dumping several layers of clothing, and accessories onto the floor.

"You gotta teach me to talk like that" Berry Melon said.

"We'll all be talking like this, yargh! We're gonna make em walk the plank in no time!" Isabelle assured.

It took them a while to get in costume, but by the time they were done you could barely recognize them. They all wore multicolored bandanas pertaining to the color they usually wear as Mages, as well as multicolored stripped v-neck vests with an unbuttoned leather buccaneer coat draping over it with more buttons than they had fingers. A sash also pertaining to their Mage color was wrapped around their hips with the tail hanging to their right side, Dark brown leather skirts with black stockings, and black Captain's boots with bronze brass keeping the strap in place. Their hair remained the same long, and straight, but more messier.

"Alright landlubber! Let's go over our newly created Class argh!" Noelle started off.

"Argh! We're Pirates!" Berry Melon exclaimed.

"We'll rank up to Raider!" Isabelle continued.

"Yargh! Then we'll be sinking ships as Swashbucklers" Noelle went on.

"We conquer the vessels, and we become Buccaneers" Berry Melon kept going.

"After conquering the seven seas we will become Terror of the High Seas!" Isabelle squeaked with excitement.

"Argh! And lastly once we conquer the worlds over! Our ship will be known for having the one, the only Pirate Kings!" Noelle declared.

The girls gave a loud "Argh!" Then rushed out of the house to rank themselves up, it's was impossible to tell at this point whether, or not they were still playing.

Going outside they found little to plunder, and even less to raid, and even lesser than that, a boat to breach, and shoot canons at. They were at a loss as to what to do, until they spotted a stand where a Star Skull was nervously shaking all over the place with his mouth moving a mile a minute.

"There be our first victim! Starboard ho!" Berry Melon commanded.

They could not have chosen a worse victim to join in their play.

Running towards the Skull lost in his own mind, the all gave a mighty "Argh" causing the shop owner to suddenly lose his balance, and fall butt first onto the ground, he stood up quickly, with twitchy eyes, half expecting to see the supposed Purgatory Oracle in town, but saw three completely different people instead.

"You~who-are-you?" Lawrence growled really quickly

"We're from a Netherworld covered in oceans, and littered with sea monsters!" Noelle spoke out first.

"Yes, yes of course!" Lawrence proclaimed ducking under his stand. "You've come to confuse Lawrence with your terms of endearment, but I have news for you~ I didn't read it! Hahaha~" Lawrece declared as he suddenly popped out next to his stand after just ducking from behind it.

"We're Pirate Classes, and if you don't want to walk the plank you'll hand over all of your candy!" Berry Melon warned.

"P-Pirate Classes! You bought the DLC?" Lawrence shouted while pointing an accusing finger at the girls who looked confused, and thrown back by the declaration.

Maple, Phoenix, Misha, and Lance

In a strange turn of events, or more likely just a common thought process these four were brought together after they ditched their leader, very unprofessional they know, but then again they weren't paid to be. Glancing at buildings, occasionally seeing peeping eyes from holes in the walls, but not looking at them, rather searching for something else.

"Nothing to protest, no one to listen to the truth, nothing that will dwindle the plans of the men behind the curtain...is this how a regular demon feels everyday?" Phoenix wondered.

"Meow~ meow, meow-meow" Misha meowed.

Translation: (reflecting on my past actions, it is apparent that I am losing all ties to the dark arts, no sacrifices, no ritual, no drinking of the blood of my fallen enemies, I don't want to live like this, worst of all conform to the norm)

"Isn't the sky so beautiful, the clouds so puffy, the dirt so soft, the grass so green, the forest wide, and tall~ how wonderful it feels to be like this everyday~" Maple sang.

Lance was so enthralled by his book, the knowledge, the wisdom, the art. He was learning, and memorizing it all for good use in the future, though his partners may be loud, and annoying. At least he can enjoy the comforts of his brilliant book, he muttered a grunt to his friends to describe everything just mentioned.

"We have this time to ourselves, we should really think about what we should do about it" Phoenix hummed.

"We can water thirsty plants, or fertilize hungry soil, or-or we can absorb nutrients from the soil for a quick afternoon snack" Maple suggested.

"As much as I enjoy sucking on dirt, I respectfully decline, Lance know any place fun that isn't control by the corporation?" Phoenix asked.

"Library..." Lance muttered.

"Do we even have one here?" Phoenix wondered.

Lance nodded his head slowly his eyes still locked on the book.

"Take us you're the local here, maybe we can buy some time there, and think about something else to do" Phoenix said.

Lance thought for a moment before nodding again, and leading his teammates to the establishment of bookkeeping.

Walking for a brief amount of time they could have sworn they saw three oddly dressed mages rushing towards the marketplace, but perhaps boredom had made them delusional as they didn't even notice their existence. Some time has passed, and they saw a tall, but skinny looking building, the windows curtained.

"My house..." Lance muttered.

"Your house is the library?" Phoenix asked.

"No, just collect them...a lot..." Lance corrected.

"Well what else do we have left to do, let's see what you got" Phoenix said.

Kelly, Aldo, and Firefly

Aldo appeared on a rooftop of a single story house, just beside the ledge, he look to his right, seeing nothing at first, but unsurprising to him he saw second cloud of smoke form, and out of it was Kelly kneeling down as she brought an uninvited guess. Firefly had somehow got caught in Kelly's jutsu, and had to experience something most people aren't accustom to, causing her to shake violently from the experience.

"Sister, it appears as if more brutal training is in store for you-zam!" Aldo said.

I-I d-d-didn't m-m-mean t-t-to...n-n-nin-n-n-nin" Kelly rattled as Firefly's frightened shaking effected her entire body.

"No matter, we shall discuss our log regardless-zam" Aldo said.

"C-can y-y-you s-s-stay still p-p-please-n-nin-nin?" Kelly urged as Firefly was still shaking, and crying.

"Zam!" Aldo exclaimed.

Pointing two fingers at Firefly, and focusing whatever mojo he was cooking up inside of him he created a cloud of smoke to form, and engulf Firefly, when the smoked cleared she vanished.

"That was a little mean, she was scared...nin-nin" Kelly said.

"Ignore the cowardly Kelly, only if a bounty is on their head, or ordered to be assassinate may you concern yourself with her ilk-zam" Aldo said.

"*Sigh* fine, let's get started with the report-nin-nin" Kelly reluctantly started off.

"Spending two days after a shameful defeat, we arrive to no conclusion as to how they could have done it. All planning, and back up planning should have left us with a one hundred percent victory, and yet we wallow in defeat-zam" Aldo said.

"I wouldn't say wallow, I got over it fairly quickly, and it was just a case of underestimating them, our training is perfect brother-nin-nin" Kelly assured.

"Is it? I spotted you the moment you were caught, if you had merely jumped a second time mid-air like our master had taught you, then you would have escaped-zam!" Aldo reminded.

Kelly blushed slightly, and hung her head in guilt.

"If you had not been eliminated your assistance could have saved, and we would not be in this predicament, your training for toda-" Aldo was saying.

"Well maybe it's not always about training! Don't you think I try my best for both of us brother! Don't you think I feel bad enough with you always criticizing me!" Kelly suddenly cried out.

Aldo remained silent, unabashed by the sudden outburst.

"I'm going to...meditate...nin-nin" Kelly muttered before vanishing in a cloud of smoke.

Aldo remained where he was, looking over the town, seeing several of his companions doing who knows what. Deciding that meditating may not be such a bad idea after all he too vanished in a cloud of smoke.

Walker, Peach Basket, and Trianna

It was very awkward for him, so much so that it pissed him off, but he had to refrain himself from saying anything negative now, especially after what he heard Trianna do to the senators. Still where is he going to go that two sorcerers will enjoy? He was a Gunner not a sitter. At least they were enjoying eachother's company, chatting away at what he thought was girl stuff, if you count new hexes, old curses, and fashionable animal skulls to wear as girl stuff, it was pretty close in some sense, they agreed that antelope was the new bull. Feeling the paper of approval gifted to him by the senate in his right hand he decided to visit Comet again to finally get him to work sooner rather than later, what he'll do after that is a blank. Thinking back the town did seem pretty serene for a demon infested village so there must be something here that's loosening them up, which usually translates to alcohol, or an arcade. Walker hopes it's the first one, but first things first, he has to talk to Comet. Upon reaching Comet's building, a few yards away to the door, a sudden black cloud erupted from the ground in front of Walker, and his crew, as the smoke cleared they saw Firefly shaking madly, and in the fetal position once again, obviously experiencing things she shouldn't have.

"Was this a sign, or something from the beings up high? What does it mean" Walker asked no one in particular.

"I think it means she needs help" Trianna said.

"Up! Up, magic lady! Ooah!" Peach Basket urged as she shook her around a bit to encourage her.

"We could always kick her back in action" Trianna suggested.

"*Sigh* why am I the only one who knows what to do in these situations" Walker sighed.

Walker kneel close to Firefly, who glanced at him still frightened.

"I don't know what happened, but they really got ya good...if you were someone else I wouldn't do this, count yourself lucky you're useful" Walker said.

He gave Firefly a soft pat on the head, then proceeded to empty out his pockets, or rather inventory. Eventually he found a canteen with some water left inside, a metal cup with a small crack on the side, and his gun drawn, and loaded as always.

"Cover your ears, Firefly...someone help her with that" Walker said.

Peach Basket, and Trianna worked together, and forced Firefly's hands, and shoved them into her ears as Walker pour the last of his canteen's water into the metal traveling cup.

"I use to do this a lot when I traveled, and needed a drink from the river" Walker explained.

He fired his Gun in rapid succession at a seemingly empty patch of forest, over a period of time the barrel of his gun began to glow a bright red from the extreme heat it was producing. Once he found it suitable enough he dunked the scalding barrel onto the metal plate, causing a large amount of steam, and near instant boiling of the water. After that he grabbed something else from his pocket, a spare tea bag courtesy of Kimberly, and dunked it onto the cup, swirling it a bit to get the flavor to spread quickly.

"Here sip this, and think happy thoughts before I decide to fire you" Walker grumbled his best bedside manners.

Lifting her head up with his left he carefully placed tipped the cup gently onto her lips, and pour very little of the tea at first so as she can adjust to it. Once she shown signs of sipping it, he tipped the cup even more to let her drink the rest, and soon her shaking began to slow, and her eyes were calm again.

"T-thanks..." Firefly whispered.

"Thank me by not sucking at your job...as usual" Walker said releasing her, causing her to bang her head on the dirt.

"Ow!-O-okay..." Firefly muttered as she stood up.

"That was a fun trick" Trianna said.

"Like I said, I did a lot of traveling, and you learn these type of things as you go on" Walker said.

"Yes, yes, on dirty river water, but why bother? You know bacteria is too weak to effect our immune system, even if we drink from the most polluted waters" Trianna said.

"I'm a Gunner, I'm not gonna put up with any filth in my drink, I just pretend it's sarsaparilla" Walker said.

"You mean you did all that without even training for it?" Kelly suddenly asked.

"W-when did she pop out?" Walker loudly asked.

"Halfway through your procedure Gunner" Trianna answered.

"We not want to stop fun show!" Peach Basket explained.

"Hey I know this is sudden, but can I hang with you guys for a while, my brother thinks I'm meditating so I really need to pass the time doing something" Kelly said.

"Fine, but no more surprises, now let's get going already, the sun's gonna set in about an hour, or so" Walker said noticing a faint orange creeping into the blue sky.

_End of Chapter_

_Why is it, that no matter how long these things get, I only get through half a day? Oh well, it's a very slow start, but it'll have to do. We got a nice roster going, but it still needs more, much more! Thanks again for all the reviews, support, and most importantly your patience._


	24. Chapter 24

_Chapter 24: Free Day Part Two_

_Why is it that most of the chapter I write despite it's long length only covers about half a day? I thought these things were suppose be going through days at a time. What are you guys doing wrong?_

_Trianna: A more grievous issue I want to address is the lack of lines my little girl gets in these long chapters. I just want you to know that I am one of those people who can make your life hard, very hard. If you give her more lines that will be the end of it, but if you ignore me...I will look for you, I will find you, and I will curse you._

_I-I need an adult? E-enjoy..._

Walker, Peach Basket, Trianna, Kelly, and Firefly

Carrying more teammates with him than when he first started he figured this whole regrouping thing he didn't plan from the start will most likely solve itself. They entered Comet's Carpentering Condo, (not officially named like that just something Walker came up on the fly), and rang the dainty bell seeing as how Comet was once again upstairs in his bedroom. Footsteps were heard shuffling upstairs, then clearly moving towards the stairs where they eventually saw Comet descending down the stairs. A happy smile on his face when he recognized the possible customer.

"Ah~ my stars, and garters, tell me you got the thumbs up?" Comet squealed.

"Ya got your permission for now, and eternity, now do we have a deal, or not?" Walker asked impatiently.

"Right into the nitty gritty, I like that about you, and the answer is, yes we can! Now for a quick run-down of what you want just to make sure I know what I'll be doing" Comet instructed as he took out a pen, and notebook.

"Right we need a second floor with as much rooms as you can fit up there, an extension in my associate Peach Basket's room...the one with the cursing junk" Walker began.

"Ooah! Not junk, some garbage yes, but no junk! Valuable cursing tools" Peach Basket explained.

"Fine, cursing tools! That should make it pretty obvious which one is hers. Also I want a separate room for...therapy reasons..." Walker mumbled the last part.

"Right~ therapy reasons? I bet you want a nice comfy couch to perform...therapy?" Comet sneered.

"It's not like that, I just...really can't believe I'm doing this...is all, I-I think I'm gonna vomit" Walker groaned.

"N-not on the carpet, I just had that washed!" Comet squeaked.

"Hold it in, don't be a pansy" Kelly encouraged.

"What are you my teacher?" Walker groaned as he resisted the urge to puke.

"Alright, well I'll just trust you won't leave sick all over the place, and just get to work. I wouldn't go to your place if I were you, there's gonna be a lot of construction for this big a project...oh~ I'm getting excited just thinking about it" Comet said.

"Just make sure you don't leave any sick there either" Walker warned.

"You have my word, my work is clean, and spectacular. You're gonna flip your hat when you see it later tonight" Comet said.

"Tonight? You're gonna finish all those requests tonight?" Kelly asked.

"You're looking at the best, least known carpenter in the Netherworld!" Comet declared getting a lot of impressed glances from the guild.

"Actually I've seen carpenters perform much larger feats of construction in half the time you promised, and with a thirty minute break in the middle" Trianna said.

The impressed glances turned into blank stares at Comet.

"W-well the best carpenter in town" Comet muttered.

"The only carpenter from what I can tell" Trianna said.

"W-well I'll still do a great job, you can't break me I only get stronger!" Comet assured.

"Not if I cursed you with a charm curse" Trianna corrected once again.

"It's a losing battle, don't try to keep up with her" Walker said not wanting to waste anymore time than he wanted to.

"R-right, I guess I'll just get to work then" Comet said his smile dropping ever so slightly.

"Y-you mean we have to s-stay here...at night? W-w-when it's d-dark?" Firefly nervously asked.

"It won't take long, just go to a bar, that will pass the time just like that!" Comet said snapping his fingers.

"So there is one" Walker said.

"Yeah it's not obvious since it doesn't have a sign, but it's right next to the senate for their easy access. There is another bar that I go to personally, but...you might not like it" Comet said blushing slightly.

"Why, they serve different kind of beer?" Walker asked.

"Actually they only serve one kind of beer there...if you know what I mean" Comet hinted.

"I don't, that sounds like a cheap bar, I hope the other one next to the senate doesn't suck as much as your personal one" Walker said not getting the hint.

Comet stared at him quizzically, but realized it's better not to correct him.

"Well...let's stop talking, and get working" Comet said.

"You'll be working, and we'll enjoy ourselves" Walker said.

"Oh~ I just know you're gonna love it!" Comet said sounding almost thankful that he'll have to work like a dog for several hours. So much so that he gave Walker a quick hug, and skipped merrily out of his way, Walker remained motionless.

"...Alright, that was a little too enthusiastic, but whatever. Let's go check that bar Comet said, I heard a lot of normal people go to bars when it's late" Kelly said.

"Walker?...A-are you okay?" Firefly asked.

"No...why is it, that whenever some demon get's close to me I never like it?" Walker wondered.

"That's just how we are, a demon's personal boundary extends not only to a high emotional level, but an equally high physical one, there are exceptions that I have seen. Demons hugging, practically embracing one another in a sign of affection, but I'd rather not talk about that, not in front of the children" Trianna said.

"Mama smart! Wise woman, want to be!" Peach Basket praised.

"Come on Walker, maybe a trip to the pub will fix you right up" Kelly assured.

Peachy, Sasha, Elfie, and Schrodinger

A quick trip to the musical instrument store left the group with musical instruments...shocker. Schrodinger would be leading the marching band with a wood polished baton with Peachy shaking her hips to ring her new tambourine. Elfie twirled her drumsticks, and occasionally tapped her snare drum to get the feel of the instrument, while Sasha looked at her flute, with no clue as to which hole he had to jam her finger in.

"Now if only we had some cheerleader outfits for you girls" Schrodinger sighed.

"Just because I played a harmonica doesn't mean I know how this do-hickey thing works" Sasha complained.

"It was very thoughtful of you to buy this for me, but I can't seem to keep a simple beat to save my life" Elfie said.

"It's cool girls, we just need like-sometime to practice is all" Peachy assured.

Five minutes of ear wrenching, soul drilling, music piercing practice later...

"We're ready!" Peachy declared.

"Shouldn't we wait for Schrodinger's aneurism to stop, I don't think it's very easy to listen with two busted ears" Sasha said

"I'll take care of that" Elfie assured.

"I got a couple of lyrics all memorized, and junk in my head so we should get started like-right away" Peachy said.

"Again, why are we doing this?" Sasha asked.

"Cuz~ it'll be fun. Besides this place can use some livening up" Peachy explained.

"Agh! Y-you spat right in my eye!" Schrodinger cried out.

"The spit will heal that too don't worry" Elfie dully said.

"Alright so let's form a line, and try to keep a beat together" Peachy declared.

Schrodinger leading followed by Elfie, Peachy, and Sasha lined up at the center of the dirt road.

"Alright, show me you guys can keep a beat by following my tambourine" Peachy said.

Elfie, and Sasha just shrugged as Peachy began to slap her hips with the tambourine in a upbeat fashion, eventually a few mistakes here, and there, but they got a constant looping rhythm going, and that was just enough to satisfy Peachy as she motioned Schrodinger to start walking.

"Traveling across the lands our-brave demon Schrodinger~" Peachy began. "He's the manliest man-with the sharpest arrows, and the world's greatest Ranger~" Peachy continued.

"(I'm liking this)" Schrodinger thought to himself.

"Yes, the bravest-fearless demon that this town will ever hear~ even though he sleeps at night with his favorite teddy bear~!" Peachy sang.

"Wait what-?" Schrodinger muttered.

"He sucks his thumb, and he cries a lot, he wears a bib, and he thinks I'm hot, but date a girl-dear Schrodinger, he has not~!" Peachy continued signing.

Suddenly Elfie, and Sasha were experiencing the fun Peachy had promised, they continued their music, but with much more feeling into I causing Peachy to sing louder.

"Hear, hear, hear the tale of mighty Schrodinger~ of his perilous journey-called the sissy's adventure~!" Peachy continued more loudly.

"Please stop" Schrodinger muttered.

At this point it was hard to ignore such loud, and exciting singing, even at the risk of being spotted by a Purgatory Oracle. Many demons poked their heads out of their hiding places, and windows to hear the singing.

"He strode across the forest one night because he's no flier~, but on his perilous-lone travel he encountered a spider~, he shrieked, he cried, he puked his lunch, and-had explosive diarrhea~, he ran with dainty legs away, and shouted mama mia~!" Peachy continued.

Demons so entranced at the music they started leaving the safety of their homes to get an even better look, of course they also enjoyed a good public mocking.

"Can I join?" Elfie asked.

"Sure, second verse same idea as the first" Peachy instructed.

"I'm gonna stop marching now" Schrodinger said.

"We're gonna keep singing!" Elfie declared as the music started up again.

"Here's another tale to tell of courageous Schrodinger~, he once attended a meeting in which nerds he did anger~" Peachy began.

"Their skinny acne bodies rushed to beat him to a pulp~ they punched, and kicked, pulled at his hair, they poked, they jabbed, pushed him down the stairs, they ate his food, mocked his clothes, and tied him to a chair~" Elfie added.

"Thus Schrodinger was the only one to dress-up just like a girl~" Sasha suddenly sang.

"That ends the tale-of-the nerd barrage that no one really cared~" All three girls sang like mocking angels.

A loud applause rang across the town as the once fearing demons now having their fear diminished by the up-cheering of the riveting tales of Schrodinger which they completely made up, or not, there may be some truth.

"They love us!" Peachy said.

"This isn't gonna get me some" Schrodinger muttered.

"At least everyone knows you now" Elfie said.

"Not what I had in mind" Schrodinger said.

"Who should we do next?" Peachy wondered

Milky, Kimberly, Sophie, and Limbo

Kimberly now acting as team sitter was leading them to retrieve grocery supplies from the item shop owner Lawrence, Sophie following close behind while looking back on her notes, checking her measurements, satisfied she then checked the measurements on her home brew tea concoction. Limbo hovered silently behind Sophie, staring intently in an effort to creep her out, but to a scientist looking over their math equations, there's almost nothing that could distract them except more math. Milky was running, and jumping all over the place having no trouble catching up, but trouble finding interest. Normally she would ditch to try something a little more fun, but secretly she wanted a gal pal to talk to for once, and Kimberly was the closest thing to that even if she didn't know it yet. They found Lawrence shop, they found Lawrence, and they also found that he was held up by three oddly familiar, but never met before girls.

Berry Melon, Noelle, Isabelle

Donning the guise of pirates, even going so far as to give their made up class ranks, and pirate talk they fooled their first target into believing their little charade. They took him back to his shop stand to rob him of his possessions at toy knife, and toy gun point, but not what belonged to the Rosenqueen Branch, that would be really messed up since other demons rely on that. Unfortunately they robbed Lawrence so whatever he showed them they could take from him wasn't what they wanted to begin with. They were hoping for gold coins, but got unbend-able straws, they tried to rob him of his clothes, but the only other pair he had were ripped in the private places, they tried to steal something collectible, and all they got was a live squirrel wearing a tuxedo, he said the squirrel was collectible, but upon closer inspection it was actually a flying squirrel.

"They betrayed me! They told me it was a normal squirrel! Damn them!" Lawrence shouted throwing his now worthless squirrel away. Luckily it was a flying squirrel so it was unharmed as it glided gently onto Milky's hat, and jump away to the woods.

"Argh~ this isn't working out" Berry Melon whispered as the girls huddled together to think of a plan.

"Yargh~ she's right sis, this isn't how I thought our first pirate act was gonna work" Noelle whispered.

"Aye~ this be a disappointing game, maybe we should tell the truth, and play patty cake" Isabelle said.

"Excuse me, but what in the Netherworld are you rapscallions doing to our shopkeeper?" Kimberly asked.

"Argh?" Berry Melon arghed in question as she poked her head out of the huddle to see some of her teammates.

"W-what class are they? Do they come from some other Netherworld?" Milky suddenly asked.

"Oh~ new classes, this is so exciting! I'm gonna need two notepads for this one!" Sophie cheered.

"Their cutthroat attitudes match my ghostly howls...this is yet another challenge to overcome" Limbo said.

The three pirates looked at their teammates, quite bewildered.

"Argh? I think this game suddenly got fun again" Noelle whispered.

"Aye! I agree dear sister, this game will test our acting to the highest extent...shoot I wish I could have said all that with a better pirate accent" Isabelle whispered

"Yargh! We got this in the bag, let's play" Berry Melon whispered.

"Are you three quite done back there, we wish to utilize Lawrence's connections for personal reasons" Kimberly asked.

"Break!" the three girls all shouted, done with their group huddle.

"Argh! We be pirates!" Noelle shouted.

"Yes, yes, I got that in my notes tell me something I don't know...please?" Sophie quickly asked.

"We're rob others of their loot!" Isabelle proclaimed.

"You can't do that, that's my schtick! By the way here's your wallet back Kimberly" Milky called out.

"When did you-oh perish the thought, now is not the time to scold you on unneeded thievery" Kimberly said.

"We rob them by sea! That'r be the difference!" Berry Melon explained.

"I see, I see, rob by sea, do you perform raids, or other acts of violence?" Sophie questioned.

"We...uh~ we drink rum!" Noelle exclaimed.

"Why are you three colored so different?" Milky asked.

"We-uh~argh! E-even swabbies know we be different rank!" Isabelle quickly lied.

"This is a treasure trove of data! Maybe I should take one of them to my lab for further analysis! Let's see pirate girl first, then Nina, and then...*mumble, mumble*" Sophie muttered to herself as she began listing demons she would want to test in the future.

"T-that be right landlubbers! I'm a Pirate!" Berry Melon proclaimed.

"I be a tough as nails Raider!" Noelle grunted.

"I'm the toughest of me crew, a Swashbuckler!" Isabelle shouted,

"Yes-yes, and?" Sophie practically demanded.

"W-well, there's the Buccaneers, next come the...-" Berry Melon suddenly starting to forget.

"T-the Terror of the High Seas!" Noelle pitched in.

Can you fit such a long title in the space given?" Kimberly asked.

"Are ya calling me a liar?" Noelle questioned

"Just go on, if you would be so kind" Kimberly urged.

"Well the only other one we have is Pirate King!" Isabelle concluded.

"Fascinating, but would you three be good little pirates, and step away, we have business with the possibly criminally insane shopkeeper" Kimberly dully asked.

"Lies! All lies! I am no criminal!" Lawrence cried out.

"Enough talking! Hand over your treasures!" Berry Melon exclaimed.

"Can't we're broke as broke can be" Milky said.

"You're not getting my grants because they're nonexistent" Sophie said.

"What would a spirit do with worldly possessions?" Limbo wondered.

"Ugh~ you three are impossible, here little ones have some worthless gold coins, we can't use them as currency for tea, but I read somewhere that robbers of the sea partake in their intricate gleam, and shiny color" Kimberly offered tossing the pointless doubloons as far away from the shop as she could.

"What were you doing with gold coins anyways?" Limbo asked.

"Nothing really, plenty of wealthy gentlemen, and lady carry many a pointless valuables with them" Kimberly explained.

"I would like to point out that the citizens of this town have suddenly exited their bunkers, and hiding locations" Sophie reported.

It wasn't the entire population at once, but several demons had indeed left their homes to resume the day, though they were glancing every which way looking for the reason they were hiding in the first place.

"Huddle!" Isabelle exclaimed.

The three girls hunkered down again.

"T-this isn't good, we can't keep this up when the whole town is involved" Noelle whispered loudly.

"You're right sister we need a plan fast" Isabelle said.

"...Bail?" Berry Melon said.

"Bail" Noelle, and Isabelle agreed.

"Break" The three mages all cried out.

"Uh~.haha! We have yer treasure, now we must shove off! Towards our ship!" Noelle shouted.

"B-but don't forget us, or ye'll regret it!" Isabelle added.

"Uh~ Argh!" Berry Melon concluded.

The three girls started running, heading back to the twin's house to gather their clothes.

"Hold it, we won't just let you do as you please!" Kimberly assured.

Drawing out her bow, and a single arrow she fired with sharpshooter efficiency, and struck Berry Melon. They could hear her squeal, and shout 'owie' over, and over again, while her two partners in crime helped her escape.

"Strange...the way she shouted when I shot at her felt oddly familiar...oh well, now then Lawrence we have a request" Kimberly said turning her attention to the shopkeeper.

Maple, Phoenix, Lance, and Misha

They decided to pass the time at Lance's house where he houses a large variety of books, and even a handful of scrolls here, and there. The room was well lit thanks to the light of the sun, and the extra care he took in washing his windows, but that light was slowly diminishing as the sun was nearing it's descent to the horizon. Lance flicked a switch, and the suddenly the room was basked in a white light, the high powered beams of light on his lamps were brighter than any light they have seen so far. Long shelves extending to cover almost the entire square perimeter of the walls, The shelves stacked high enough to scrape the ceiling. Though the shelves weren't entirely full, some had gaps were more books could squeeze through. The books themselves were primarily shaped normally, though some did stick out more than others. There were several small booklets, several thick dictionaries, and while most of them were hard cover, some were soft, and a tad worn out.

"Y-you really have quite the...light show" Phoenix commented.

"Oh~ it's worse than I thought!" Maple exclaimed.

Lance muttered something under his breath.

"Lance must have worked really hard collecting these, considering there isn't even a bookstore in the Netherworld as far as I know" Phoenix said.

"All these poor, poor trees" Maple said.

"Nothing we can do about it now, however we still have a fighting chance against the government!" Phoenix assured.

"If we stack enough books together we can make a tree" Maple said.

Lance shook his head.

"Meo~w" Misha yowled

Translation: (Could it be possible that this mortal could have the ancient book of dead to ritual summon the end of days)

"Don't worry kitty, we'll find you an easy picture book for you to nap on" Maple half-joked.

"Help yourselves...but be careful" Lance muttered under his breath.

They did, but rather enthusiastically as the thought of reading was quite a bore when they live in a fantasy world already.

"Anything on overthrowing corporations, or conglomerates, or something to that extent?" Phoenix asked.

"...Far right" Lance pointed.

"This flower growing magazine is awful! I won't enjoy half the things they recommend!" Maple exclaimed.

Lance just shrugged, still too enthralled from his own book to look anyone in the eye.

"Meow-meow, meow!" Misha cried out.

Translation: (The book, I have found it, but why is it so high up! My claws are too small to climb on anything. One of you three lackeys, assist me!)

"...Here..." Lance muttered grabbing the book below Misha's desired one.

The title read 'The Happy Bunny Jumps The Fence', a picture of a white rabbit with a wide grin jumping over a random wooden fence in the middle of a grassy field covered in daisies. The story depicted a rabbit attempting the jump over the fence using very silly means like spring shoes, tiny rockets, a jet pack, and many more. It wasn't until the rabbit tried simply jumping over the fence with his own two feet that he realized he had the strength inside him all this time, and a moral lesson on never doubting yourself, and to not try to cheat your way out of a situation is learned. Misha ran to the nearest bathroom to vomit from the cutesy pictures, and uplifting moral values.

"Guess something must have disagreed with his stomach" Phoenix wondered.

"Oh~ I love that pot! So colorful, and the tie-dye design is so mesmerizing" Maple said looking at a catalog of plant accessories, and gardening tools.

"Look at all these renegades, and vigilantes" Phoenix said motioning to the several piles of books around him. "They had all started out the same as me, lone figures fighting against their rulers, and they had all came out strong. How did they do it? What's their secret?" Phoenix wondered.

"I don't know, but I which do you think will look better on me? The red-orange clay pot, or the more classical wooden square pot?" Maple asked.

"...Depends on seasons...wooden square for fall...orange pot for summer..." Lance muttered, barely being heard.

"*Ga~sp* that is so true! Thank you!" Maple thanked.

"Me~ow~" Misha moaned.

Translation: (Am I being punished?)

"Do you mind if I take a few of these with me?" Phoenix asked.

"Lance shook his head.

"Great!, well I'm all done here, maybe we should walk around town some more, and try a shop. I can put some of these vigilantes' ideas into motion while I'm at it" Phoenix said.

"I'm done here too, let's go find a mailbox to send my orders in" Maple said.

"Meow~" Misha growled staring at the 'Happy Bunny' book

Translation: (Anywhere away from the filth!)

"There's a second...story...where the bunny...digs a hole..." Lance muttered under his breath.

Misha can already feel his food traveling up his throat, but he stood strong, and swallowed it back in his stomach.

Aegis, Nina, Megas

Stumbling, and crashing onto each other, stands, and crates in a drunken stupor after their upsetting defeat in out-drinking the Frat Leader.

"I-I would've wo~n that if you, you didn't spill m-my beer" Nina Slurred.

"D-don't blame me for training lack...lack of training" Aegis muttered as he laid waste to a perfectly good table when he toppled over it.

"I would have won it if you didn't knock me out with that glass near the end of it" Megas groaned still rubbing the spot Nina whacked him.

"Y-you were...what were you doing~" Nina said.

"What were you doing? Why'd you go, and get angry, and clobber me?" Megas asked.

"C-caught in the moment, cau~ght in the mo~ment~ like a fly trapped in a we~b" Nina slurred, then suddenly sang.

"I-I think I know that song...but I'm too drunk to remember where" Aegis said.

"I-*hic*made it up" Nina grumbled.

All three of them suddenly roared in laughter.

"Sucks that we lost though..." Megas said.

"A-at least they didn't t-tar, and feather us" Aegis said.

"So~ close though~" Nina wailed.

"T-there's only one thing that can cheer us up...let's go to the bar" Megas said.

"N-no, no more, drinking...I-I just wanna...sleep, sleepy, sleep" Nina whispered.

"I'm tired of pointless shenini-shenanu-sha-sheninag- useless crap" Aegis said.

"Don't be like that bros, I'm still a little thirsty, you guys can just wait, and I'll drink it on the go back to HQ. I know this awesome place next to the Senate building" Megas said.

"How did you talk, no screw up" Nina slurred as she nearly tripped on a pebble.

"I'm more level headed drunk than sober, come on! I already see it!" Megas said marching towards it, Nina, and Aegis reluctantly stumbling behind him. Megas entered the pub rather fruitlesssly, Nina, and Aegis took a couple of tries as they couldn't quite reach the door, banging on the walls several times before their vision cleared enough that they could see the opening. The pub was empty, not a single soul was drinking, or enjoying themselves. Megas pushed, and forced his way through the tiny spaces between tables, and chairs to reach the bar in front while Aegis, and Nina followed close behind latching onto each other's arms to keep themselves steady as they felt another wave of dizziness overtake them. Finally reaching the bar they were met with familiar company.

"Walker! Bro! Ya finally found this place" Megas exclaimed.

Walker, and his group turned around to see Megas standing with a clenched fist outstretched waiting for a second bro-fist which Kelly awkwardly attempted in an attempt to feel like average, though she grasped it rather than bumped it. Aegis nearly stumbled again as he made his way through with Nina close at hand, both of them trying their best to shake off the dizziness.

"Ooah~ stumble everywhere-spinny eyes-good curse, who do?" Peach Basket asked.

"I don't know the brand, but they really did a number on them" Megas said.

"That's a load of bull I'm feeling sober already!" Nina angrily shouted as she tried to lean her arm against the table top, but instead missed, and fell over.

"This is gonna hurt on the inside really soon, my one weakness" Aegis realized as the upcoming hangover now looms dangerously closer every minute.

"Have a seat, we're just waiting for the bartender to show up" Walker muttered turning back towards the display of different bottles on the shelves.

"I-is she like the one I worked for before you met me?" Nina slurred as she struggled to stand up, getting assistance from Firefly, and Kelly.

"No, and it's not a she, he's out back working back the nerve to serve us thanks to her" Walker said glancing at Trianna.

"For the record, it was something I said" Trianna said rather proudly.

"She barely said hi before he bolted to the back, I had to shout our orders at him, and Trianna had to threaten him to get him to cooperate" Walker explained.

"We won't be here long, I was just gonna get something to quench the thirst, and head for home" Megas assured rather loudly.

"Don't bother, I asked a carpenter to renovate the place, we're gonna have a swanky new second floor by tonight" Walker said.

"Ni~ce" Megas complimented.

"So I guess we...have to stay here a while then" Aegis said.

"Yeah, but feel free to do whatever ya want, we got this place all to ourselves" Walker assured.

"Bathroom!" Aegis, and Nina suddenly shouted as they rushed to the restrooms.

"I-I'm coming out now! No reason to curse me with your curse!" Shouted the bartender from just behind the slide door.

"Remember, excellent service, and I'll spare your worthless existence" Trianna shouted.

They saw the slide door fidget a little, but eventually it opened revealing a Bouncer as the bartender, holding several mugs, and two wine bottles over to Walker's party.

"O-one hard apple cider for the gunner, two...drinks I don't ever wish to make again for the..." the Bouncer began then settled the drinks down so he can pull up a small piece of paper in his pocket. "For her most conniving, evil, merciless, all powerful Purgatory Oracle empress, and her mischievous, adorable, well trained, and high potential Shaman daughter, and one average everyday cosmopolitan for the lady ninja" the bouncer said.

"Oh yeah, we got another one who needs a mug of your best brew" Walker stated.

"Make it an ale" Megas said.

"One high grade ale coming right up" the Bouncer nervously smiled as he left for the back to get the good stuff.

"So what have you bros been up to while I was gone?" Megas asked taking a stool next to Walker.

"Upgraded at the Evility shop, went to see Comet the carpenter, Trianna fought the senators, went back to Comet, and now finally relaxing here while anxiously waiting for the extensions to finish" Walker said.

"You three are a mess though, what's been going on with you?" Kelly asked.

"Oh~ man it was so close! I took em' to my frat house, and we were living it up, until we got into a drinking contest with my frat president. We almost had that sucker in the bag bro you would not believe! One screw up after another, and we were down by one frigging mug! Aw~ man, but it was a hell of a party, and we were just walking all over that road crashing into everything, we were so drunk, but right now I think those two are sobering up as we speak. Dude they're gonna wake up to one massive headache tomorrow, but it's like I always say, the more painful the headache, the more awesome last nigh was!" Megas told.

"How amusing" Trianna said sipping her drink unnaturally lady like.

As she placed the glass on the table they could hear a faint shriek coming from the drink followed by several bubbles ascending to the top of the dark liquid Trianna was drinking. They could also hear faint sobbing coming from the Bouncer in the back of the pub making the awkward silence even more awkward.

_End of Chapter_

_Soon it'll be time to put them back to work again, but there's still some time left to develop their characteristics even further. Also might plan on invited other parents to visit as well, but not often as these things drag on long enough, and barely make it through a day, and hopefully this will be the last time I write such a short chapter. Thanks again for your support, reviews, patience, and here's wishing you a happy holiday, or if your holiday had already passed, then I hope it was everything you wished it to be._


	25. Chapter 25

_Chapter 25: It's not that time of the year yet_

_Hey someone say something witty, and enjoyable to celebrate the new year!_

_Lance: *leaves the room to fetch the 'Enjoyable Jokes for Holiday Celebrations' book*_

_W-we really don't have the time to wait for you, you know...oh well, enjoy!_

At the nameless bar

A small pub which reeks of wood shavings, and strong beer was having it's worst night, it's not easy running such an establishment to begin with the bartender thought while whispering songs of comfort in his head to keep himself distracted while his customers, and he uses that term very lightly discuss among themselves a manner of very trivial topical conversations. While he would enjoy the occasional drunken argument, two of their customers are giving him a world of discomfort. He wonders how the rest of them are fairing so well when they are just a single step of away from becoming cursed for life, the bartender had a buddy who knew this guy, who had a cousin who was cursed by a Witch Doctor, and he came out of that with third degree burns all over his body...while working at an ice factory.

"It's starting to get late, anyone know the time?" Walker asked.

"It's still sunset" Kelly reported.

"Have you guys met up with any of the other guys in our guild?" Walker casually asked.

"...Nope" Megas answered.

"...This conversation is starting to stale" Trianna realized.

They heard the shuffling of feet from across the room. Turning towards the noise they could see Nina, and Aegis dragging their bodies towards them looking rather exhausted.

"Sobered up? That was fast" Megas grunted.

"That wasn't fun at all-*urgh*-I, might not be done yet..." Nina groaned.

"Next time we do that, we better win" Aegis said.

"We'll have to switch Nina with Walker, I get the feeling this bro knows what's up!" Megas said.

"I-...I don't even care anymore I just want my stomach to stop hurting" Nina muttered.

"I-I remember having an upset stomach...i-i-it was a n-n-nightmare" Firefly stuttered

"Maybe this place has something for that. Hey bartender guy! Do you have any medicine!" Kelly called out

The bartender practically jumped in shock, but his fear only grew when his brain contemplated Kelly's demand. A medicine for hangover, and stomach problems? Now they were just asking for too much, this was a bar not a clinic. The realization that their request could not be met hit him like a ton of bricks, he could already feel the Purgatory Oracle's glare piercing him through the walls like invisible daggers. An ultimatum was upon him to either tell the truth, or run for his life abandoning his customers. Which option gave him a higher chance to get through this unscathed?

"No need for that, we'll just go out, and find Elfie. She'll cough up something, or spit up something in this case" Walker half-joked.

The bartender's life was spared, for the most part, yet he could still feel those glaring daggers penetrating him.

"So we're done here?" Nina groaned.

"Pretty much, let's pack up, and move out" Walker said.

"Nothing packed, no pack to pack up!" Peach Basket corrected.

"Then finish your drinks, and move out, and don't tip the bartender" Walker said.

"Firefly, are you fine with not having anything?" Kelly asked.

"Y-yeah I'm...I'm okay" Firefly assured.

"No tip, no tip!" Peach Basket chanted.

"Sparing him a life of anguish is tip enough" Trianna agreed.

Walker, Kelly, Firefly, Peach Basket, Trianna, Aegis, Nina, and Megas turned away from the bar stall, and headed out the door. Along the way the group hears some stifling noises just out the swing door.

"I think people are finally starting to come out of their homes" Walker muttered.

"Strange, usually demons hide for much longer periods whenever I appear" Trianna said, rubbing her chin, and lowering her head in deep thought.

Suddenly they could hear what sounds like instruments playing just outside, and muffled voices singing over them. Walker opens the door, and sees a small band slowly marching at the center of the main dirt road made up of Sasha, Elfie, Peachy, and Schrodinger who was pulling at his coat collar to cover his face.

"What is this" Walker said rather flatly.

"This is what happens when you give us days off" Aegis warned.

"It's not so bad" Walker said.

"Assisting those with any need-in any field, we are Disgaea Guild!" Peachy was heard singing.

"See? Free advertisement" Walker said.

"Our leader is a brash Gunner, who calls himself Walker~! He's quick to anger, hires beggars, and puts us in danger~" Peachy added.

"...No arguments there" Walker said

"When he was young he found make up, and had a lot of fun~" Sasha suddenly began singing.

"She wouldn't..." Walker muttered darkly.

"He wore lipstick, and mascara-then ran outside the blaring sun~" Sasha added.

"Son of a-hey! Let me go-and give me back my gun!" Walker exclaimed as his teammate's natural instincts quickly told them to restrain Walker.

"Sorry, but we're not gonna end this with with a sour note...pardon the pun" Aegis said holding onto Walker's right arm.

"Bro, if you don't learn to laugh at yourself, you're gonna be a killjoy at parties" Megas said gripping Walker's left arm.

"Have they been doing that all day?" Walker grunted.

"Let's find out. Hey! Guys! Over here!" Kelly called out.

The girls stopped playing their instruments, and Schrodinger stopped covering himself to look at the voice calling out to them.

"Hi~!" Peachy called out to them with all smiles.

"Hi~!" Walker exclaimed back, all anger.

"...It was his idea!" Sasha shouted right after going into fits of giggles, and pointing at

"She was never really good at lying when no HL is involved" Walker said.

"You calm yet?" Kelly asked twirling Walker's gun she swipped.

"Yes, I am, I realize my anger is a danger to others dear, and near to me, and I won't shoot them on sight" Walker said with a strained smile.

"I try that every time I snap, and no one ever believes me" Nina said.

...*Sigh* it's still too early, you four, get in here, no singing" Walker ordered.

"Are ya buying?" Sasha asked.

"If it'll get you ta not sing yeah" Walker grumbled.

"I'll have something sweet, and fruity!" Peachy said quickly

"I want an apple cider with your HL on the side" Sasha said.

"As always Sasha, screw off" Walker retaliated.

"Would a poor beggar such as me be given a martini with an olive?" Elfie pleaded.

"I thought I paid you a while ago" Walker said.

"Anything, but tea, that liquid crap will not touch my high class lips" Schrodinger said.

"Don't tell me, just order for yourselves" Walker said.

"So walking out of the bar was pointless?" Trianna asked.

"...Well...damn it, their idiocy is rubbing off on me..." Walker muttered under his breath before retreating to the bar stools with the increase company.

"Now that they're here-*hic*- maybe they can do something about us?" Nina groaned.

"But if I let them do that you won't learn anything" Walker said.

"D-don't push it" Nina grumbled.

"Fine, fine, Elfie do what you do best" Walker said.

"It's the only thing I do best" Elfie reported.

"Wonderful" Walker muttered with sarcasm.

Kimberly, Sophie, Milky, and Limbo

Milky had just told the group that Lloyd's house contained several cauldrons, as well as flasks, and beakers Sophie can use to mix up the tea brew. Lawrence had provided them of all the ingredients they would need to create several flavored tea, mostly the leaves themselves, but they were also given several powders that would either amplify the taste, or turn the tea into nitroglycerin. Regardless Kimberly could barely contain her excitement as not only will they be making drinkable, or explosive tea, but she was also handed seeds to grow her own for the first time.

"This is most exhilarating, I am giddy with anticipation!" Kimberly squealed.

"If by any chance this powder causes our chemical compound to become unstable then I confiscate them for further study, and possible future use. I have several scenarios in my thoughts as to the uses of explosive liquids" Sophie said.

"Is it alright to just interrupt whatever it is Lloyd is doing in his house?" Milky wondered.

"I always go inside buildings unannounced~" Limbo wailed

"It's humorous, but this is the first time I've seen tea seeds, look at how huge they are, they fit my palm almost perfectly, and yet some seem so miniscule, what did Lawrence call this one in particular?" Kimberly wondered as she picked a single brown seed.

"I believe he called it Camellia Sinensis" Sophie reminded.

"Yes of course...such a beautiful name, which in time will grow into a lovely little shrub tree, which will produce adorable flowers in the fall~" Kimberly moaned in a state of bliss.

"I can rapidly increase the speed of which the seed grows with the right chemicals" Sophie assured.

"No! I-I mean that is quite alright, a true lady is patient therefore I must be as well" Kimberly said almost sounding sad at having to wait so long.

"You think Walker's gonna let us grow those things? A tree could take up a lot of space in the yard" Milky said.

"Nonsense, according to Lawrence-who was the last person I thought would know so much about growing tea seeds- that the earth around our building is perfect for these little seeds to grow. Why would Walker buy a building on that patch of ground if he didn't want to grow tea?" Kimberly asked.

"I don~'t believe he knows~" Limbo moaned mysteriously.

"Arriving at Lloyd's dwelling" Sophie stated as she saw the completely black building near their right side.

"Yes, so much to do, so little time. I can only hope the sun stays up for a little while longer" Kimberly said.

"We have an estimate three to four hours of light before night" Sophie stated, though not really looking at the sky, or sun.

"So we're here, who's going to knock first?" Milky asked suddenly growing nervous.

"What ever is the matter with you? We know of Lloyd, there's no reason to feel any sense of fear...however, I will be the mature one here, and knock on his door first. Watch how I demonstrate proper etiquette, and dignity of an upper class lady" Kimberly said walking over to Lloyd's house while looking as tall, and straight as she could. She knocked on the door three times, and was preparing for a curtsy, but quickly regained herself as this was not the time, nor the demon to be doing so. The door open only a tinged, and a bleak looking Blue Skull could be seen through the thin crack.

"Ah! Lloyd our fellow guild acquaintance we require the use of your many cauldrons, beakers, and flasks to create a rainbow of different teas for future enjoyment, what say you?" Kimberly asked.

"...A star diminished of light skewed by it's lively brother suns

Faint thumps of bleak attempts to mask it's death, alas it remains shunned

What hope can there be for me, for thee, we are all similar to a pale sun devoid...of fun" Lloyd muttered.

"That is no way to speak to a lady, not let us inside, so we may enjoy ourselves in your company" Kimberly said.

Lloyd was silent for a moment before opening his door completely, still with his sunken face, and blotched eyes that look as if he hasn't had any sleep, and yet...he has.

They three girls, and dead spirit welcomed themselves in.

"Light minimal, can make experimentation...hazardous, must repair before anything else" Sophie said.

"I like~ it~" Limbo said.

"I can barely see a thing, and I have night vision on these goggles" Milky said putting on her cat eyed goggles which apparently have night-vision, though that would explain a lot.

"Do you not have electricity?" Kimberly asked.

"...Shut off power...removed bulb as well, I do have extra long lasting candles we could use" Lloyd said.

"Why are you letting us do all this so easily? Milky wondered.

"...Was it not part of my duty as guild member?" Lloyd asked.

"None of us even signed a contract, we're just here because Walker gives us HL when we do stuff" Milky said.

"He should really be more organized than this" Kimberly said.

Berry Melon, Noelle, and Isabelle

Retreating back to the twin's home with only a minor audience spotting their convincing outfits, the quickly washed themselves, and returned to their original dresses, and hairstyle.

"That worked, better, and worse than I had thought" Berry Melon squeaked.

"We totally had them all fooled sister" Noelle piped in.

"We're getting better, and better sister" Isabelle added with delight.

"So are you actually going somewhere with this?" Berry Melon asked.

"Yep! Me, and Isabelle are going to be~" Noelle began

"Actresses!" Both twins shouted.

"That's so cool! I wish there was something I wanted to do with my life" Berry Melon said.

"Aren't you already something like us?" Isabelle asked.

"Yeah, but I did it mostly because I was bored, this is still fun, and all, but I wonder if there more I can do around here" Berry Melon said.

"Why don't you try everything, and see what works out?" Noelle suggested.

"That's not a bad idea you have there! Okay! I'll try everything! From archeologist to zoologist!" Berry Melon declared.

"We'll help too, it sounds like fun right Noelle?" Isabelle asked.

"Right as rain Isabelle" Noelle said.

"Alright let's do...later!" Berry Melon said.

"So what do we do now?" Noelle asked.

"...We could go back to the guild for some food" Isabelle said.

"Yeah, but we might not get another chance to go out like this" Berry Melon said.

"Let's go into demons houses, and break their jars!" Noelle suddenly.

Berry Melon, and Isabelle silently stared at Noelle for quite a while

"W-what? You asked what we should do" Noelle said.

"Isabelle you got anything?" Berry Melon asked.

"Hm~ no..." Isabelle confessed.

"Me neither..." Berry Melon said.

…

"So...jar breaking then?" Isabelle asked.

"Guess so" Berry Melon figured.

Packing away whatever they will take back to the guild in their inventories they rushed outside, which was now had a small number of demons nervously walking about as if expecting some sort of disaster to walk barefoot towards them with gleaming red eyes, and a monster's skull for a helmet.

"Let's start out there!" Noelle shouted pointing at an inconspicuous house diagonally to their opposite side of the road.

The three girls ran towards the building, giggling with excitement, then Berry Melon opened the door, surprisingly it was unlocked, or the door was just old, and broken. Regardless Noelle, and Isabelle playfully pushed Berry Melon inside. She ran inside hands in the air with the biggest, widest smile, ignoring the confused Orc, and Warrior presiding the small living room, and grabbed the nearest jar, and threw it at the wall breaking it, and releasing it's contents.

"H-how did she knew we stashed our rubies in there!" The Warrior wondered out loud.

Sure enough besides some dust, and junk there were an assortment of sapphires, rubies, and emeralds, all in small prism shapes. Berry Melon ignored all of that, and ran out of the building giggling like a little schoolgirl, and soon the other two Mages ran away with her, also giggling like schoolgirls.

"That was actually rather fun!" Berry Melon confessed.

"The look on their faces really added to it to!" Noelle said.

"Where should we go next?" Isabelle wondered.

"Let's try that one!" Noelle shouted pointing at another random house from across the dirt road.

Once again the girls ran with giggling fits towards the randomly chosen house, this time Noelle was chosen to break a jar, but they found the door was locked. Luckily there was a large fist sized hole on the front door that Noelle was just barely able to squeeze through. Once inside Noelle ran around the room looking for a jar to break, and eventually found one, just in time for the owner of the building to walk down the stairs, and see the whole thing play out.

"What the hell?" The Lady Fighter cried out.

Noelle tossed the jar, and it crashed onto the wall into bits, and pieces, but it was largely empty.

"Are you kidding me! First my door, and now this!" The Lady Fighter shouted.

Noelle quickly unlocked the door, and ran out, along with Berry Melon, and Isabelle.

"Hey come back here!" The Lady Fighter cried out.

"What next, what next!" Berry Melon squealed.

"There! That house!" Noelle pointed.

"It's all black" Isabelle said.

"I think that's Lloyd's place" Berry Melon said.

"Cool! Let's do it!" Noelle decided.

"My turn, my turn!" Isabelle shouted.

The door was already slightly open, a thick smell of herbs, and a mist of steam was seen seeping out of the slight opening, the windows were also open, and pouring out strong smells, and steam.

"What is he doing in there?" Noelle wondered.

"Alright, I'm going in!" Isabelle said.

"Do it, do it, do it!" Berry Melon cried out, her voice cracking after the third "do it"

Isabelle opened the door, and rushed inside, in a blur she spotted several other of her fellow guild members, but she was too distracted with her game to care who they were. Eventually she spotted a jar, and held it high above her head in triumph.

"...What is she doing?" Lloyd asked.

"I don't know, but it's disturbing me" Kimberly said.

"Isn't that the jar with the weird powdered tea?" Limbo said.

"You mean the one that could possibly-" Milky was saying.

Suddenly Isabelle threw the jar much to the surprise of everyone, they watched almost as if time had suddenly slowed down, as the jar, and it's contents collided with the floor. Then a loud explosion occurred, Most of the occupants were covered in soot, and third degree burns, but Isabelle's icy body protected her from any degree of burns, odd how they don't work during combat, but even Mages can't fully understand magic. Just as quickly as she ran inside, she ran out with her two Mages running with her.

"This. Is. Amazing! Thanks to the power of unintended experimentation, we could conclude that the contents of the powder is in fact an explosive product! Do we have more of that substance I can test?" Sophie cried out.

"I've never seen someone so happy with so many burns before" Milky said.

"Once the rush of discovery wears off, I'm sure she'll react normally to the pain. For that matter perhaps we should find Elfie, and have her heal us as well" Kimberly said.

"Do as you wish, I will stay here, and collect whatever I need to take with me, alone" Lloyd said. Being a Blue Skull he was also protected with his icy body from any degree of burns, of only they actually worked in combat rather than for everyday reasons.

"Whee~ that was so cool, I didn't know jars exploded!" Berry Melon cried out.

"You learn something everyday in the Netherworld" Noelle said.

"We should totally break jars at home!" Isabelle said.

(Warning! Do not try this at home)

"Maybe, but do we have jars?" Berry Melon wondered.

(No seriously, you should not break your home jars)

"We could look around, but let's just break jars here" Noelle said.

(It's not as fun as these three make it out to be, don't try this at home!)

With all their talk about the fun, fun activity of breaking jars they realized they had nearly crashed into the wall of another possible candidate for jar breaking. The girls quickly decided to hit this building, but instead of rows of perfectly throw-able jars they found rows of tables, both rectangle, and round, and a really long table at the far end with several identifiable demons.

"Hey~! We found you guys!" Berry Melon cried out.

Several of the group quickly turned around toward the source of the noise.

"Big sis, how did you find me?" Walker asked.

"We were playing 'break the jars' it's super fun, and we ended up here" Berry Melon explained.

"Aha! You can't escape now!" A voice cried out from outside.

Suddenly a Lady Fighter burst through the door, and tackled the three Mages. Walker instantly drew his gun, but his quick thinking redrew it back in it's holster.

"Hey~ I think I know that girl" Walker said.

"She's been poking in, and out of our lives for a while. It's been a while Evelyn" Aegis said.

"Not you guys again. Don't get the wrong idea, what I'm doing is justified.

"You're giving my sister a headlock, you have Noelle in a choke-hold with your arm, and a leg-choke to Isabelle" Elfie said.

They broke my jar, which is my property!" Evelyn exclaimed.

"That isn't an excuse to turn their faces blue, now let them go before we have to pay for their revivals" Walker said, the consume alcohol he has drunk making him much more calmer than he would have been.

Evelyn released them from certain death, but was still angry. The three little Mages quickly scurried towards their bigger demon friends, with gleaming, tear-filled eyes pleading for protection, their lips were quivering to add to their overreacting.

"Hey Evelyn, good to see you girl, I see you still paint your legs to look like bike shorts" Sasha joked.

Evelyn turned beet red, and pushed her lower belt to better hide her shorts.

"T-they're s-shorts you dumbass!" Evelyn retaliated.

"They're tighter than my short, shorts" Sasha argued.

"T-they help me flex my legs more so I can be more effective in a fight!" Evelyn said.

"Among other things" Sasha said non-chalantly.

"I'm gonna kill you!" Evelyn exclaimed.

"Sasha enough, you're not getting anything out of this, and if you keep it up, I'm taking your pay to fix whatever it is that's wrong with her" Walker warned.

"Kidding, kidding, just get over here, and have some cider with me" Sasha invited.

"What I want is reimbursement for my jar they broke!" Evelyn said.

"Let's talk about that over a glass of cider" Sasha said.

"We'll talk after I get my HL!" Evelyn said.

"This is stupid, neither of you are drunk enough to get in a bar-fight. Here, Evelyn right? I have your HL, just take it, drink with us, or go. At this point I just want it to be quiet again" Walker exclaimed.

"Why are you being so reasonable" Evelyn asked.

"Because I'm buzzed with sarsaparilla, lucky you, now get over here, before I change my mind" Walker said turning away from her

"Well I wasn't planning on drinking, but I guess I could-*gah*!" Evelyn was saying until she suddenly spotted Peach Basket, and Trianna, Walker noticed.

"Them? Don't worry about it, well...actually worry enough to stay on your toes" Walker said.

"We try so hard to make people less frighten of us, and yet we can't resist our natural urge to curse every single living being" Trianna explained.

"Sounds like a cursed life in an of itself" Aegis said.

"No one said life was going to be easy, or simple" Trianna responded.

"Well I'm here, what do I have to do to get something to quench my thirst?" Evelyn asked.

"I don't know, where's the barkeep! Yo! Get your ass in here, hate to see someone sober who doesn't want to be!" Megas shouted.

The Bouncer stood up from his hiding place in the janitor's closet, and rushed back to the front to serve his customers.

"W-what will it b-be?" The Bouncer stammered trying to sound confident, and not shaking with fear, he failed miserably.

"Another hard apple cider over here for the girl with the hot pants, and for my pal here!" Sasha exclaimed motioning towards Evelyn.

"Don't I get a say as to what I'll drink?" Evelyn wondered.

"Not when we're paying" Walker said.

"Am I still needed here?" Nina wondered.

"Depends, do you know what normal teenagers do? I don't think this is it" Kelly said.

"Aren't you too old to be a teenager?" Nina asked.

"Well...I can be a teenager in spirit at least" Kelly argued.

Suddenly the doors to the front door are open once again, and a second Lady Fighter approached.

"I really hope this is a great hiding spot, all the other places are f-" she began.

She stopped when she saw all the demons on the front drinking.

"We're drawing customers already?" Elfie wondered.

The guild stared at her, almost uncaring, while she stared nervously at them until she spotted the Gunner.

"O-oh! It's you!" The Lady Fighter exclaimed.

"I knew you'd come running back to me" Schrodinger said stepping off his stool, and walking towards the Lady Fighter. Once he got withing reach, she decked him in the jaw, the force sent him flinging on a nearby table, and breaking it.

"H-hi...again" the Lady Fighter muttered nervously towards Walker.

"Ah~ you're the one who wanted to know more about gunners right?" Walker answered.

"Y-yeah...oh~ w-why can't I think straight all of a sudden" the Lady Fighter whispered

"You're probably conflicted with so many questions you wanted to ask" Walker answered.

Elfie sipped on her drink, becoming more, and more intrigued at this by the second, and she wasn't alone.

"...Look, if you can't think of something out of the blue, ya can just schedule something some other time" Walker proposed.

"Y-you mean like a one on one...like a d-d-d" the Lady Fighter stuttered.

"Duel? That's not usually what we call it, but close enough" Walker said.

Sophie was heard groaning loudly.

"Well then-hehe-I suppose we have a deal" the Lady Fighter said gaining confidence.

"Sure what time?" Walker asked.

"How about-" the Lady Fighter was saying.

"I need a refill! Don't make me wait!" Trianna warned

Looking at Trianna the Lady Fighter jumped back, not realizing that the thing she was suppose to be hiding from was here. Before Trianna could turn to look at her, the Lady Fighter made a mad dash out of the building.

"Hey wait-! Geez, didn't even tell me where to meet up..." Walker said.

"Are you really that dense partner?" Sasha cried out.

"Shut your pie hole-hey! Watch where you're shooting! You almost shot another hole in my hat!" Walker exclaimed after Sasha suddenly shot at him.

"You're just so-*ugh*!" Sasha cried out groaning loudly again.

Maple, Phoenix,Lance, and Misha

After a lengthy browsing of Lance's books they picked out a handful, and placed them in their inventories for future reading. The left his home as the sun began to finally set on the horizon, leaving only half of it left to be seen before it becomes dark.

"These new books on revolutions shall better perfect my future plans to end this regime we're facing" Phoenix declared.

"I'm not feeling it" Maple confessed.

"You're just too nearsighted by propaganda!" Phoenix assured.

"No I think it was all the trees so close to my vision that did that" Maple confessed.

"...You're really nearsighted?" Phoenix said.

"Yup!" Maple confessed again.

Lance muttered something, and nodded his head slowly as he continued to read from his book.

"Companion I have noticed that you do not seem to keep constant attention to the road. You chances of crashing into something are significantly higher if you do not watch where your going" Phoenix warned.

"...Use to it..." Phoenix muttered, still reading from his book.

A black fog of smoke appeared in front of them, in which Lance walked straight towards, moments later he was pushed back by an unknown force. Once the fog cleared the unknown force showed himself as Aldo.

"Guild members if I am correct, where is my sister? Zam!" Aldo demanded.

"We have not spotted her, nor did she join our group when we parted ways. If memory serves me correct she left with you!" Phoenix declared while pointing his finger of justice to Aldo.

"She said she will be meditating, yet I did not see her at our usual meditating area in the woods. Such deceit from a younger sibling will not go unpunished-zam!" Aldo declared.

"Oh come on, it's was just a harmless ditch, why don't you wake up, and smell the daisies, like I do every morning?" Maple asked.

"If she continued to delay, and abandon her training, she will undoubtedly be worthless-zam! I promised my tribe, and family that I will watch over her training, and I will not fail, unless I do fail then seppuku it is-zam!" Aldo declared.

"Mew, meow, mewowow~" Misha growled.

Translation: (Ah~ the simple art of traditional suicide, music to my ears)

"I didn't know ninjas did that" Phoenix said.

"We don't, but my sibling does not know this, and that is the lie I will tell her to return to her training-zam!" Aldo declares.

"Wow, she must really care about your well being if that will convince her to train with you" Maple said while twirling in place.

"Care?...this, this might not work after all, zam..." Aldo said, suddenly now losing confidence in his tone.

"Something is amiss comrade? Shall we discuss this?" Phoenix offered.

"Perhaps...it may not hurt to try, while I'm at it I'll think of another plan-zam" Aldo reluctantly agreed.

"Lance seeing as how you have lived here longer than us, would you know of an establishment that will allow us to speak unhindered?" Phoenix heroically asked.

Lanced nodded his head.

"Then onward, lead us to the chosen land!" Phoenix declared pointing another finger of justice towards the sky, though the correct way was just straight ahead according to Lance who was already walking.

"Have you been searching for your sister for a while now?" Phoenix asked.

"Just recently, I have been to our headquarters, but found a Prism Mage currently residing the building-zam! When I discuss his presence in our territory he stated he was hired by Walker to build a second floor, which would explain all the stacked up wooden beams above the roof-zam!" Aldo said.

"Ah~ expanding already?" Here I thought they had just formed the guild not too long ago" Phoenix said.

"Well shall inquire about this towards Walker when we find him, but our current objective is to find my younger sibling-zam!" Aldo said.

"I can feel the strong bond from both of you despite being so far away~ It makes my buds bloom with excitement" Maple said demonstrating this by conjuring several blooming white flowers from all over her thorny spring beneath her to hop around.

Lance nodded his head in approval.

"Mew, mew-mew!" Misha piped in

Translation: (Enough my stomach is still churning from the wretched books I have witnessed)

Suddenly the group heard a loud explosion farther along the road, and a large cloud of smoke could be seen drifting up towards the sky.

"...Do you suppose..." Phoenix was saying

"That it has something to do with us? Zam! I can scout ahead to be sure-zam!" Aldo said.

"Seems almost pointless to me, but do as you wish, hopefully your sister was not at the epicenter of that explosion" Phoenix said.

Aldo quickly leaped towards the roof of a nearby building, and sprinted towards the source of the explosion. Before anyone else could speak he returned in a second cloud of smoke.

"No trace of my sister, yet I found the explosion connected to several guild members-zam!" Aldo declared.

"Then it's their problem until we're told otherwise. Lance how long until we reach your destination?" Phoenix asked.

Lance pointed a random building besides the senate hall building where three different colored Mages suddenly ran inside, along with what appears to be a Lady Fighter following them.

"Instantly I distrust such a place close to where the lies are born, and raised" Phoenix said.

"Nameless bar...nothing more..." Lance muttered.

"Excellent, considering the state this town is in at the moment I highly doubt there will be a large crowd to disrupt our conversation" Phoenix stated.

"Phoey! I hate bars, no nature in them whatsoever!" Maple argued.

"But it's made of wood!" Phoenix argued.

"Nope" Maple refused to believe.

"You can't be that thick, besides, we're not going to stay" Phoenix said.

Maple continued pouting, but followed Lance nonetheless. Reaching the bar they were surprised to see not only the three Mages which turns out to be their comrades all along, but the majority of the guild as well also enjoying several drinks, Trianna still in plain sight.

"Ew~ it smells really strong here~" Maple complain squeezing her nostrils shut.

"The wood shavings, or the drinks because I can smell both" Phoenix said.

"It appears as if my sibling decided to to end her training earlier than I suspected" Aldo said.

"Meow, mew~" Misha said.

Translation: (Do they not notice our presence, regardless I shall make them notice us)

"I'm gonna fix it" Maple said.

"I don't understand, fix what?" Phoenix asked.

Lance simply walked to a random round table to the left, sat in an empty chair, and continued reading.

'Fixing~ it~" Maple sang loudly enough for the rest of the guild to notice them, Kelly nearly jumped off her seat seeing Aldo.

Maple spun in place like a spinning top though her arms were raised above her head like that of a ballerina. Suddenly she began spreading numerous pink petals, and suddenly the previous smell of wood, and booze was replace with a strong perfume scent that smelled like a mixture of several flowers.

"Fixed~" Maple declared.

"Can't you guys walk into a bar like normal people?" Walker was heard complaining.

"This wasn't my intention in the least" Phoenix answered.

"Ah! B-brother, I uh~ heh~ there's a really good reason for this...nin-nin" Kelly awkwardly.

"Mew!" Misha cried out

Translation: (Yes! Here comes the sibling beating!)

Aldo didn't say anything as he got closer, to the point of leaning towards the bar, not looking at Kelly, or anything really, just staring, stiff as a board. He didn't even notice the bartender's sudden retreat back to his hiding spot when Trianna glared at him for Peach Basket's amusement.

"...You don't have to say anything...I'll go back to training, nin-nin" Kelly replied sounding defeated.

"...Impressed-zam" Aldo muttered.

"W-what...uh~nin-nin?" Kelly said.

"I said, I am impressed as to how quickly you can associate yourself with other demons, practically blending into a group-zam" Aldo said.

"I-I don't really understand...nin-nin" Kelly said.

"Your stance is relaxed, your mind remains focused on topics of conversation no matter how pointless, you can stick a knife in their backs, and they wouldn't be none the wiser-zam!" Aldo declared.

Upon hearing this several of the guild members moved a few inches away from Kelly, all, but Aegis who's armor would be more than efficient enough to block a knife.

"T-that wasn't-" Kelly was stuttering.

"Even if it wasn't, it is still an important skill for a ninja, for an assassin...something I could never achieve-zam! You on the other hand, you can associate yourself with others, and they wouldn't be none the wiser. Even though your skills in everything else is fairly lacking...I still find your social abilities to be impressive-zam!" Aldo declared.

"Come on bro, you're just saying that. We both know our family, and even our tribe always favored you, for your skills-nin-nin" Kelly confessed.

"Yes...and yet they couldn't see how skilled you were socially, how well you blended with everyday commoners-zam! You were unnoticed by skilled ninjas for years, I could never fathom how our elders couldn't not witness such a feat-zam. You are very highly skilled in your own way, and I am proud of being your sibling-zam!" Aldo declared.

"Really~" Kelly sang.

"*ahem*" Aldo coughed.

"...Nin-nin?" Kelly finished.

"Yes...now then I need to go, and meditate on our conversation, when shall the building be complete-zam!?" Aldo asked.

"If yer talking about our guild, I was told it would be up, and running by nightfall, so not too long now" Walker said.

"Then I shall meet you inside-zam!" Aldo said jumping away from the stand, and vanishing in a cloud of smoke.

"And they say bars are nothing, but a bad habit. Another sarsaparilla!" Walker grunted

"Here's to -*hic*-something I can't remember" Megas exclaimed

"Renewed siblings?" Elfie guessed.

"Actually it was something about foot-long clubs, but that's something I'd toast for too!" Megas exclaimed.

"...Megas, go home, you're drunk" Nina muttered.

"I haven't even started...again!" Megas exclaimed.

"Can we have something too!" Berry Melon piped in.

"We're thirsty!" Noelle began.

"Super thirsty!" Isabelle finished.

The bartender immediate popped out from behind the staff door.

"H-how may I help y-you?" The bartender asked.

"Geez, he's still scared?" Sasha mocked.

"He better be!" Trianna spoke loudly while reaching towards Peach Basket for a quick hug causing the bartender to jump

"We're thirsty!" The three girls cried out.

"A-are they o-o-ol-" the bartender stuttered.

"Speak up already" Walker impatiently told.

"I-I can't serve minors!" The bartender revealed.

"No problem, my sister the Red Mage is well above the drinking age, but those two need root beer floats" Walker said pointing at Noelle, and Isabelle.

"C-coming right up!" The bartender assured

"Do you serve food here?" Aegis quickly asked.

The bartender quickly nodded.

"Give me a burger, thick meat, medium rare" Aegis muttered.

"Can't wait until we get back can ya?" Walker half-joked.

"Part of my defense is my muscular physique, I need more proteins than several demons put together. I've been lacking as of lately despite the large meat dishes you have been serving me" Aegis answered.

"Elfie make a note of that" Walker said.

"I'm the psychiatrist not the secretary" Elfie said.

"Bitch...fine, who wants the position of secretary?" Walker called out.

"Oh! Oh! Oh!" Kelly repeated while raising her hand up high.

"Why would you want to do that?" Walker wondered.

"That sounds like a job normal demons do, I want to try my hand at it, I promise I won't screw up, and I'll work really hard!" Kelly assured.

"She's determined..." Aegis muttered.

"Never seen someone so excited to do something other than pillage, and rob" Nina commented.

"You never know who you truly are until you've had a few in ya" Walker said.

"...That's a poor excuse for your habit" Aegis said.

"Up yours too" Walker grunted.

Milky, Kimberly, Sophie, Limbo, and Lloyd.

It took them a moment to recover their injuries from a recent explosion, luckily Sophie was an amateur healer, and medic. With their wounds temporarily bandaged, and injected enough morphine to numb an Elephant.

"Well it was more painful than it should, but we finally have our first successful home brew custom tea!" Kimberly declared, unable to keep from squealing with glee, but was able to regain herself before she did anything more humiliating.

The group huddled over the cauldron to the see boiling water with several leaves, and other assortment of ingredients.

"We wait for the H2O to remain at boiling temperatures for approximately ten minutes, then filter out everything else, and cool it to a temperature just above freezing" Sophie explained.

"Then the ice tea will be complete?" Kimberly said.

"Absolutely" Sophie assured.

"Can't we drink it how it is now?" Milky asked.

"We could, but I specifically wanted this batch to be iced, seeing as how currently they are lacking in flavors options" Kimberly said.

"What flavor is it?" Lloyd asked, though sounded very upset.

"...Hm~ I'm not entirely sure myself...there's fruits in it" Kimberly said.

"Apple, mango, a hint of orange, and kiwi to be exact" Sophie answered.

"All blended with Earl Grey tea leaves" Kimberly added.

"Sounds...ghoul-ishous~" Limbo joked.

The team stared blankly at Limbo for ten minutes, until the silence was finally broken.

"Oh! Quickly, it's time! We have to filter, and cool the tea!" Kimberly exclaimed.

Sophie immediately pressed a switch on her remote control turning off the extra large bunsen burner for cauldrons, and extra large beakers. Lloyd then proceeded to form a large bubble made of super cooled air, the cauldron, and it's contents steamed for a short time until the eventual cooling process began.

"It's set to remain this way overnight...*Sigh*" Lloyd said sounding disappointed in his work.

"It is set to the right temperature right?" Milky asked.

"As you have requested" Lloyd muttered.

"Excellent, I shall be waking up to an iced tea made by us tomorrow morning" Kimberly said.

"So, we're done for the day?" Milky said.

"...Yes I suppose, strange. I could have sworn this little adventure of ours would have lasted longer" Kimberly said.

"Let us retrieve our utensils, and be on our way, staying here will not quicken the cooling process" Sophie said.

"...Fine..." Lloyd agreed.

"You're not mad at us for all the soot covering your living room from that explosion?" Milky asked.

"I am already in my grieving state...I am always grieving" Lloyd said.

"We shall assist in cleaning this up, it is the least we can do for after you allowed us to use your home" Kimberly assured.

Lloyd simply nodded, and with that, they all left his home. The sky now turning a darker blue, the stars now just starting to glisten, and the sun showing the last of it's specks of light until next day.

"Hard to imagine it took us a whole day to get one cauldron full of iced tea" Kimberly said with dignity.

"It was a pretty big pot" Milky said.

"The roads are beginning to take on life again, the once peaceful looking ghost town is reviving itself...*sigh*" Limbo groaned.

"Cheer up, buck-o! Now you can sneak up behind people, and steal their wallets-I mean scare them" Milky said.

"Have you looked at them? You may not understand this, but I can tell when someone has had the scare taken out of them. They're exhausted, no fuel, all the scare drained from their bodies" Limbo explained.

"So even if you tried to be scary they'll be too exhausted to scream, or react?" Milky said.

"Yes...like that feeling after the nightmares of a really scary movie, whatever frightened all of them must have been truly frightening~" Limbo moaned

"Peach Basket's mother" Kimberly said.

"The worst part is she doesn't even try" Limbo said slumping further, and further into depression.

"That will be enough of that for one day spirit, continue to act this way, and you shall not be invited for iced tea tomorrow with me" Kimberly warned

"I can't drink tea" Limbo said.

"The prices we pay for immortality as a ghost" Kimberly said.

"I'm not really immortal though...ageless, but not immortal" Limbo corrected.

"Oh! They're similar enough!" Kimberly impatiently declared.

"Hey look at that really large group ahead of us, aren't they with us?" Limbo asked.

"Ugh~ it has to be. We are the only guild unfortunate enough to have a Ranger..." Kimberly said with disgust.

"Let's go over to them!" Milky said.

"*Sigh*~ I doubt they'll care what we were doing all day, especially since it involves me" Limbo said.

"Currently my estimated guess is that they'll be returning back to headquarters after excessive drinking" Sophie explained.

"How can you tell they drank a lot?" Milky asked.

"Several of them are walking in zigzags, muscle control seems to be none of their concern, and the Wood Golem is being held up by the Heavy Knight" Sophie said.

"Your clever observation is once again to be praised Sophie, as you were with measuring our ingredients" Kimberly complimented.

"Part of the schooling" Sophie stated while adjusting her glasses.

"Hey! How many wallets do you think I can swipe from them before they spot me?" Milky asked.

"That sounds like a wager to me" Kimberly said.

"Considering we keep most of our HL in sacks, I wager zero" Sophie calculated.

"Fine! How many HL sacks do you think I can swipe?" Milky said.

"Fifty HL...Seven, max" Sophie said.

"Two hundred on twelve sacks" Kimberly said.

"Since I'm a ghost I have no need for worldly possessions, I won't partake in this" Limbo said.

"Fifty HL says I'll die alone, and afraid" Lloyd said.

"...Alright, here I go" Milky whispered loudly before she made a mad dash towards them. Surprisingly making no noise while doing so.

From their point of view Milky was jumping back, and forth behind them, her hands moving so quickly they were near invisible, but it only lasted so long until...

Kelly quickly put a stop to Milky's thievery, but only after being robbed herself.

"Just what the heck do you think you're doing!" Kelly exclaimed putting Milky in a headlock.

"Just-playing...an inside game!" Milky wheezed as the air was sucked out of her.

"She's giving us our wallets back...if she wants to live" Walker warned.

"I-I will!" Milky promised now starting to turn blue.

Kelly released her, giving Milky time to breathe.

"I-I got 11 sacks!" Milky cried out.

"Fiddlesticks!" Kimberly shouted.

The rest of the guild turned around to see the remainder of their missing crew, walking rapidly towards them.

"What does this mean?" Limbo wondered.

"It means no one has won this, therefore this wager was null, and void" Kimberly said.

"If it's too dark for me to see thief rob me blind then it's dark enough that Comet's job should be done" Walker muttered.

"Robbing Thieves tell me it's time for me to go home, I'll just be taking back my HL, and I'll be on my way" Evelyn said walking away.

"Bye-bye~" Noelle, and Isabelle cried out.

Evelyn split from the group with her sack of HL, and returned to her home.

"I've never lived on a building with more than two floors other than the castle for teaching all new, and would be Healers" Elfie said.

"Wait a second, didn't you say you reincarnated into one from a Lillim? Why'd you have to go to school for that when you already became one on the spot?" Walker asked.

"For the sole purpose of being reliable of course, I thought I had explained this a while ago" Elfie said.

"Maybe...but how did you end up as a beggar after all that schooling?" Milky suddenly asked.

"That's a long personal story, now's not the time" Elfie said with a smirk.

At that point they had reached the edge of the woods.

"So did everyone waste their time effectively?" Walker asked out loud.

"I didn't get caught!" Berry Melon exclaimed.

"We didn't get caught~!" Noelle, and Isabelle sang.

"I learned...absolutely nothing" Elfie said.

"Well unlike her, I actually learned...wait...never mind, I didn't learn anything either...except that I'm a lightweight apparently" Nina muttered.

"By my standards" Megas said, though didn't sound disappointed.

"And mine" Walker added.

"As well as mine" Aegis said.

"I get it" Nina stated flatly.

"Does he expect us all to answer that?" Schrodinger asked Kelly.

"Well of course you lack the necessary brain power to take in any amount of new information" Kimberly mocked.

"We've wasted our entire day making Iced tea, and pretty much wrecking Lloyd's house in the process" Milky said.

"I-It wasn't our fault entirely! That little blue Mage who suddenly popped out of nowhere threw that powder jar, and ran off...with two other different colored Mages..." Kimberly said as she put two, and two together.

The woods left cracks, and slits of moonlight to touch the ground, and leave the trail just barely noticeable, Berry Melon was ordered to take the lead, and light the way with her patented 'fire on a stick', not a torch, but as others would call them, but she was not those others so she called it 'fire on a stick'. This really helped Firefly, who was already having a hard time breathing from the constant noises she would hear outside the trail of the woods, she had eventual resorted to using Limbo as a temporary object to cuddle, much like a teddy bear which really saddened Limbo even though he could not. Schrodinger offered to provide Firefly with safety if she flung herself towards his inviting arms, but a heavy branch had suddenly fell from a tree, and clubbed in his skull. Screaming in pain he turns towards Elfie to make it better, and saw Trianna's eye glowing red for just a second before they returned to normal.

"What?" Trianna asked.

"I-I uh~ Elfie help me out" Schrodinger asked as he rubbed the growing lump in his head.

"'Why are your freaky eyes glowing you freak of nature' is what he wanted to say, but couldn't out of sheer fear. You're welcome Schrodinger" Elfie said.

"That isn't at all what I was gonna-" Schrodinger was saying, but then turned to Trianna to see how she'll react.

"*Sigh* it's comments like that, which propels demons to hunt us down to no end. It's sad really" Trianna said.

"Aw~, but you're adorable little girls, how can demons be so cruel?" Nina asked

"You must be new to this Netherworld if you don't know that our kind are constantly being hunted down for our...traits. It also doesn't help that we constantly curse all we see to no end regardless of any contact with us" Trianna quickly explained.

"You know, you're kind of asking for it when you put it like that" Walker said.

"What if your kind was being hunted down just because you shoot on sight?" Trianna argued.

"...Point taken..." Walker said defeated.

All discussions were suddenly silenced when they neared the clearing of the trail, and saw their newly renovated home. They could see Blank just putting the finishing touches of the abode by scrubbing the last window on the second floor. If Walker's crummy sign wasn't nailed to a wooden stake rather than on the wall, they could have mistaken it for a completely different place altogether. The building was not only taller, but also doubled in walls were painted a creamy white, a round window was seen above the second row windows, and just above that was a Pyramid roof with Sophie's roof merging with the main building, and moved to the left side. Before anyone could comment the front double doors opened, and out came Comet looking absolutely fabulous, and pleased with himself.

"You like? Oh~ who am I kidding, you love~!" Comet cooed.

"It's...actually not half bad" Walker said.

"And that's just the outside, come inside, and get a taste of the real surprise" Comet hinted with a wink.

The guild followed Comet inside, almost instantly they noticed the extra size of the building being put to good use. The lobby was larger with a navy blue leather corner sofa measuring fifteen cushions just besides the right side of the double front doors. To the left side of the building were the double doors towards the hallway. In front of them were the once wooden double doors were replaced with a well polished glassed double doors with a dark oak wooden handles. Between those two entrances in the corner was a round table where a cordless black telephone was spotted. To the right was a single brown oak door with no explanation to it's existence

"So basically when I saw that you guys had no connection to the outside world, I was like 'eew~' so I got ya this really cool, and sassy phone you can call people with. The phone number is on the side, and I've also re wired this entire building with sockets for your electrical stuff, and a telephone of your own. Now come, come! You're gonna love the dining hall!" Comet squealed excitedly.

Once again he left them before they had any time to speak, causing them to follow in hot pursuit. The dining hall was no longer rectangle, but a much larger square. The same long table they have sat in stood strong, and fixed at the center while several smaller tables for four with their own seats adorned around the table, but what really got them excited was the long stand on the right side of the building. Behind the stand was an equally long shelf, both of them stretching from one side of the building to the other, and lighted with a tinted blue light.

"Is that..." Megas whispered.

"Your very own bar! Just a little something I cooked up during break time, of course I get a free discount on everything if you don't want to pay for it-*giggle*!" Comet explained.

"It's empty though..." Walker said.

"Sorry, can't conjure alcohol, or any drinks really, that's why design, and construct buildings silly" Comet said.

"Don't ya have all that extra sarsaparilla you keep?" Sasha reminded.

"No one is touching that!" Walker quickly exclaimed.

"Now, now, don't fight yet, we still have that one room I forgot to mention I added in the lobby" Comet said.

He left the dining hall, and made for the single door room to the right with everyone following. Inside they saw a newly constructed room with a ceiling reaching the second floor, an empty bookshelf stretching from one wall to the other was seen on the left side, a dark wooden floorboard recently polished with matching walls, and a fireplace was seen on the far right. At the center they saw a tall recliner made of black leather, and next to that was a red velvet therapist's couch.

Elfie suddenly squeaked in happy surprise.

"It's just like in my dreams~" Elfie whispered.

"And the piece de resistance, your rooms..." Comet said.

They left the dining hall, entered the lobby, and went through the wooden double doors towards the hallway which was much more better lighted than before, and wider as well. Comet lead them to the first room to the right, and everyone gasped.

"I know Walker told me to make only one room bigger, but when I first did that it made this whole place feel...out of place. So I just re-shaped the rooms to be twice as big, to destroy any claustrophobia any of you felt sleeping in your rooms" Comet said.

"W-w-what about the bathrooms?" Kimberly asked.

"Also slightly larger, re-cleaned, and I even added a bathtub in them so you can take a dip in your own little slice of warm water paradise~" Comet said.

"This is...just incredible" Nina said.

"Bet this beats whatever cot you use to sleep in" Aegis said.

"Don't remind me...I can still hear the bombs going off around my little bunker I had to build myself...worst thirteen birthday ever..." Nina muttered.

"Don't get mad at me, but I kind of empty out all the rooms" Comet said.

"My treasure belongings, and tea collection! Where are they!" Kimberly demanded to know.

"P-please don't get violent on me, they're safe, all of them! I just...thought well maybe you'd like to trade places. This is what happens when I drink on the job" Comet apologized.

"Just tell us where they are, and you'll be on your way unharmed" Walker growled.

"Safe, j-just tell me where you'll be staying, and I'll warp all your stuff there!" Comet assured.

"He is telling the truth-zam!" Aldo said out of nowhere causing everyone to jump.

"D-damn it, don't do that!" Walker exclaimed.

"While I saw him working on the building, I saw him warp everything out of the way so as to not accidentally destroy then while he was constructing-zam!" Aldo reported.

"...Fair enough, we just have to tell you where we'll be staying, and that's it?" Walker asked.

"O-of course, right now we can fit a total of fifty demons here! Twenty on the bottom, and thirty on top" comet explained.

"*Sigh* fine let's get this over with..." Walker said.

The guild noticed numbers above the door, which Comet also quickly explained. Odd numbers where on the right side, and even numbers on the left always. Megas chose the first door on the right marked one, while Blank was forced to take the first door on the left marked two to better reach the kitchen to prepare morning meals. After than Noelle, and Isabelle decided to once again share a room on the right marked three, Limbo decided to vacant the room marked four on the left side. Schrodinger chose room five on the right, and Misha unable to deal with Comet's bubbly personality shut himself on room six. Peachy took room seven, and gave a little cheer as to how lucky she was to have a room with the number seven causing Peach Basket, and Trianna an annoying pain in their stomach. Aegis stomped his way towards room eight. Before anyone could speak out for room nine, Trianna quickly declared that Peach Basket shall be sleeping on room nine since in some places nine can be pronounced as something closely related to the word 'suffering'. As they were about to turned right on the corner hallway they saw a metal door on the left with ten on it. Comet explained that this was Sophie's house, now officially attached to the guild building.

"Hm~ I'm going to need more thrusters if I'm going to launch this sucker into orbit" Sophie realized.

Making the right turn they saw numbers eleven through twenty, and a wide spiral staircase leading towards the second floor. Walker took door number eleven on the right, Nina chose door number twelve on the left. Berry Melon, and Sasha had an argument over who should get door number thirteen, but after Sasha whispered something into Berry Melon's ear. Berry Melon immediately blushed.

"Y-you wouldn't dare tell him..." Berry Melon whispered.

"I can do you one better, I can show him..." Sasha whispered back.

"Y-you're bluffing" Berry Melon whispered.

"How long have we known each other?" Sasha reminded.

Berry Melon looked at number thirteen with deep longing, but eventually settled for room number fourteen while Sasha triumphantly marched towards room thirteen. Elfie chose door number fifteen, while Kelly casually took room number sixteen. Kimberly at last felt Schrodinger was far enough from her room, and settled on number seventeen while Aldo disappeared in a cloud a smoke, and reappeared in room eighteen. Milky instantly rushed towards room nineteen, and Firefly finally spoke out her desire to sleep in the possibly safer first floor, and took the last room, number twenty. This left Lance Phoenix, Lloyd, and Maple. Comet lead them to the second floor which appeared to be T shape seeing a path on the left they could take at the center of the hallway. Phoenix felt a tang of heroic, revolutionary courage on room twenty one on the right side. Maple was content with taking room twenty two on the left side. After a long pause in which neither Lloyd, nor Lance said anything to each other, Comet decided to just put Lloyd in room twenty three, and Lance in room 24. With his work finally done, and paid in advance, Comet warped himself away, and allowed his customers the time they wanted to soak in their new rooms. He did good, he knew that, and hopefully good enough to warrant another project. They were the first to peak his interest in a long time. He warped in the middle of the dirt road of the town, his warping skills still needed some fine-tuning.

"(When I become a galaxy skull, I'll fix that)" Comet thought to himself.

Not wanting to take a chance for a possible screw up he decided to walk home. It wasn't that far to begin with. On his way he spotted a Lady Fighter slumped on the ground hugging her knees. As he got closer he could hear her muttering words like 'stupid', 'lame', 'not good enough', 'butterflies', 'stomach', and more. Comet quicken his paced, and stopped beside the girl.

"Such a beautiful night don't you think. A terrible time to be punishing yourself with insults rather than enjoy the glistening of the stars" Comet said.

The Lady Fighter stopped talking, and sunk her head lower.

"I know that pose, I know those words...you couldn't express your feeling couldn't you?" Comet asked.

The Lady Fighter nodded slightly.

"Ah~ that takes me back to a time when I was a wild card, and did what I wanted when I wanted...Good, or bad, love, or loathe someone. Didn't matter to me so long as I was entertained..." Comet said.

The Lady Fighter at last looked up to see Comet.

"So I'm guessing you screwed up, sweetie?" Comet asked.

"I-it wasn't my fault...that thing everyone was warning us about was there...that...Purgatory Oracle" the Lady Fighter whispered.

"That can only attribute to a small part my dear" Comet said.

"...I was trained to fight...and nothing more...I don't have experience, nor the time to get some" the Lady Fighter muttered, sounding as if she already gave up.

"You forget yourself. You're a demon aren't ya? We live in a place where if we don't like how we look we can change...for the right price of course" Comet said.

The Lady Fighter did not respond.

"If you want it, I can loan you a little extra so you can make that happen" Comet said.

"Why do you care?" The Lady Fighter asked.

"Who knows...maybe it's my inner wild card wanting to get more thrills, I'll be taking care of that later tonight, but if you're still interested I can take you to a side trip, and get you that experience" Comet said.

"H-how?" The Lady Fighter asked.

"It's a simple reincarnation my sweet, I just happen to know a class, or I should say monster you can turn that will guarantee you have that special someone looking only at you" Comet promised.

He extended a hand, which the Lady Fighter reluctantly took, and they left for parts as of yet unknown...

_End of Chapter_

_Super apologized for the late entry, holiday hangovers are symptoms to writer's blocks, drink responsibly. I guess I've already been given new requests for missions, and will grant their wishes, and do them. As a reminder, you can choose whatever five characters in this fic to do whatever you want, and I will try my best to make a long chapter about their exploits. Thanks for the reviews, support, and most importantly your patience!_


	26. Chapter 26

_Chapter 26: Mission Improbable_

_Time to make some scratch, you can't live off the government forever_

_Phoenix: We are not benefiting from them, no one is. Their eyes stayed focus on us, and our HL_

_Oh Phoenix, you, and your propaganda. Enjoy!_

Morning...

The window shines Walker with the bright golden light of the sun as it rises to begin a new day, the rays piercing through a sliver of space between the curtains. Walker yawns once, but suddenly his eyes dart awake as a realization hits him almost as hard as a slap to the face. Walker's room was on the right side of the hallway...yet the kitchen, and dining hall was on the right side as well, and the window revealing the sun was on his right. So how was it possible that the window on his right could show the outside when clearly on his right there should be a kitchen if that window is functioning correctly.

"...Magic" Walker groggily answered his own questions.

That's what happens when you hire a magician carpenter, and construction worker to do a job, but now Walker was curious as to what else the overly happy Prism Skull had installed during the remodeling. Screw it, wake up time now. Making sure not to bump into Berry Melon who somehow got through the lock on the door he were sure he put up last night...

"...Magic" Walker growled.

It was always magic, or sheer force with these demons, never a warning, or half-assed attempt, give up, and sleep in their own damn beds. After doing his usual morning routine of washing, shaving, and quick exercise he left his room, leaving Berry Melon to sleep soundly in his bed, the soft snores she was making, and the occasional shuffling of her body would have been adorable to watch if Walker hadn't removed those type of feelings out of him long ago. Walking his refreshed self out of the hallway he stopped at the center of the lobby to take it all in. The new building, the new members, and poking his head to the front door he glanced at new letters, and what appeared to be yet another poster similar to the first one with a new job opportunity. True the letters themselves could have also been job opportunities, it was the poster that caught his attention the most. Unlike the first one which had only letters, and numbers with a promise of a reward, this second poster was a high definition photo of a demon Walker presumes to be an Original Demon. The picture depicted a young female demon with spiky crimson red pigtails, a smug grin that practically shouted 'I'm better than you' over all those who stared back, and posed standing with her front half leaning to the camera showing off...well nothing really, she was as flat as piece of paper. Her hands gripped her waist, her clothing was mostly nonexistent, just a black leather top, and miniskirt with a white stripe at the center, leather stockings included? Her white boots which appeared dull compared to the rest of her attire which almost shone in all the right curves...if she had any. Lastly a bright red tail enveloped itself around her body, to her waist that ended with a heart shaped end that looked pointy enough to stab skin. The words were barely eligible as they were very small, possible so the OD picture remained unsoiled by words. He grabbed the mail, and planned to go over them during breakfast, but stopped himself from entering the dining hall as he glanced at the new therapist's office he was half-forced to install. He opened the door, and lo' and behold he saw Elfie sleeping on the therapist's couch with a blanket she got from her bed. Seeing as how she was much easier to wake up compared to Berry Melon he walked towards her.

"Hey! Hey, Elfie, come on now up, and at'em" Walker muttered as he softly shook Elfie up. Walker paused, a little shocked to see himself acting so gentle, perhaps the fact that everything was going so well despite some character drawbacks was helping his mood.

"*Ugh~...Walker? Have you decided to become one with me?" Elfie whispered.

And suddenly his good mood was destroyed in less than a millisecond.

"Wake the hell up damn you!" Walker cried out.

Elfie quickly woke up, her hair a mess of loose ends, and knots.

"Are ya right in the head again?" Walker asked.

"I'm awake, I'm awake!" Elfie quickly said.

"Good, get your ass in the dining hall after you take a shower...a cold shower" Walker said.

"R-right, what did I say again? Can you repeat it for me?" Elfie stuttered as she left the therapist's office.

"Ice cold shower" Walker reiterated

Seeing enough of the room already Walker decided to leave as well, and headed towards the dining hall where several of the guild were already starting to eat. The long table at the center had been slightly extended thanks to Comet to be able to seat twenty six people. Twelve on the left side, twelve on the right side, and one on the front, and back. Aldo, Nina, Lance, Aegis, and Kimberly were seated while Blank continued to add more food on the table. Several stacks of pancakes, pyramids of sausages, and pork, and several wide bowls for scrambled eggs with several jars of syrup, and powdered sugar. The drinks were several jugs of juices like apple, orange, grape, and cranberry, and chilled with ice-cubes. Each seat had a serving plate, and glass to pour their individual drink of choice.

"Hope you guys enjoyed the break yesterday, because we got jobs here that need to be done" Walker declared as he seated himself on the table as well.

"I'm surprised a single poster on the town's bulletin board could bring about such an abundant array of customers" Aegis muttered in between fork-full of eggs.

"Perhaps it is simply because unlike most organizations we do not fail in our objectives" Kimberly said, right after she took a dainty sip of her own tea, she kept to herself.

"I think what took the cake was that OD we helped a while back, maybe he said something about us we didn't catch" Nina suggested as she went for seconds on the pancakes.

"All possibilities are possible-zam!" Aldo exclaimed

"Let's not get cocky though, we gotta keep the streak going, or no business" Walker warned.

"Speaking of posters, and ODs what do you have there?" Nina asked.

"The letters are too small for me to read without looking like a jackass, but I'm pretty sure it's the same as the last one" Walker said.

"I'm only asking cause I recognize the demon in the poster" Nina explained.

"So she's from your Netherworld?" Walker asked.

"Yeah she's the overlord where I'm from, but she has a habit of leaving our Netherworld for some other Netherworld" Nina explained.

"How is she like" Aegis asked.

"Heartless, selfish, boastful...don't tell her I said that, but all in all she's the exact definition of how an overlord should act" Nina define.

"Anything else?" Walker asked.

"Not much, she keeps to herself, and whoever she feels like talking, not me obviously so I don't know much about her" Nina added.

"So are you going to read the job description?" Aegis asked.

"Let's wait until after everyone gets here so I don't got to repeat myself" Walker said.

"You mean 'don't have to repeat myself'" Kimberly corrected.

"Just pass the syrup!" Walker demanded.

Moments later several more guild members arrived, more than half which meant Blank had to double time it seeing as how Elfie was nowhere to be seen.

"Walker a thought has just occurred to me" Phoenix spoke out.

Walker looked over to Phoenix, nodding his head as he was about to finish swallowing hos food.

"I've notice that our numbers are great, yet the service is...dropping" Phoenix began.

"Service?" Walker asked.

"The Prinny. While at the present state this works alright, eventually our demands will overburden the creature, and you know what that means" Sophie said while twirling her fork with half a sausage still stuck in it.

"If the Prinny has too much of a workload taking care of all of us...then our demands will take much longer to be done" Walker realized.

"Exactly! Perhaps it will be in our best interest to include a second Prinny to the guild, thus increasing the rate of which our chores will be done by well over thirty percent" Sophie calculated.

"Hm~ I'll think about it, maybe while we handle these jobs" Walker muttered.

Over time the rest of the guild, and Trianna enter the room except Berry Melon, and begin to engorge themselves with food.

"...My sister's still sleeping isn't she?" Walker groaned

"You should do something about it" Sasha said.

"What makes you say that!" Walker exclaimed.

"You're her only sibling, that makes you responsible...nin-nin" Kelly stated.

"But she's my big sister so she should, but...ah damn it all!" Walker exclaimed leaving the room to wake up Berry Melon.

"Hey Kimberly, are we going to check the iced tea we made anytime soon?" Milky asked.

"Yes!-I-I mean, but of course, with all our hard work making it in the first place I don't see why not" Kimberly said almost losing her composure from sheer excitement.

"How tragic that the only reason for visiting my home is for something that wasn't even mine to begin with...*sigh*" Lloyd muttered.

"Well if it makes you feel better, at least your house was useful to someone else for a change, bet you never saw that coming did you?" Milky asked.

Lloyd did not answer, but was clearly thinking about it.

"Those letters next to Walker's plate...are those what I think they are?" Sasha asked.

"Yup, jobs, Walker said he was gonna read some of them so we can get started" Nina said.

"Jobs? Boo~ I wanna be a dance instructor!" Peachy exclaimed.

"And you'll be very good at it, I'm sure" Elfie said.

Lance nodded in agreement while continuing to read his book.

"I wish I could see my little girl in action, but I'm afraid we'll have to part ways this afternoon" Trianna said.

"Mamma?" Peach Basket asked, nearly choking on her pork from the shock of that statement.

"Aw~ little one, I did say I could only stay for the day, or so, but before I do, I want to talk to your pack leader" Trianna said.

Peach Basket looked hurt, but did not object.

"You can give me the puppy dog eyes all you want little one, but my journey has to come first, a difficult choice, but the only way to keep you absolutely safe. Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to consult your pack leader" Trianna said.

"We're not stopping you" Schrodinger assured.

Trianna walked out of the dining hall.

"...That's almost as depressing as the empty beer cabinet over at the bar" Megas said.

"You have a problem" Limbo said.

"I have the problem? Bro you can't even drink, or get drunk!" Megas exclaimed.

"Pass the-" Noelle began

"Syrup? Here, can you give me-" Isabelle added.

"Blueberry jam? Here you go!" Noelle chimed.

"That's really cool! You can finish each other's sentences...nin-nin?" Kelly said

"We're twin sisters, of course we could!" Noelle, and Isabelle exclaimed.

"Hm~" Kelly hummed thinking of something, then turning to her brother sitting next to her, staring down his meal as if it were another assassination target.

"Hey brother can you pass the..." Kelly began.

For a moment Aldo did nothing, but stare at Kelly waiting for he to finish, thinking she had only grabbed his attention Kelly asks again.

"Can you pass me the~" Kelly repeated.

Aldo wordlessly handed Kelly a Kunai

"Uh...yeah, thanks...nin-nin" Kelly said, quickly swiping a bottle of ketchup before Aldo could see he screwed up. At least she had something to stab at the eggs so she can lift them to her mouth, though she quickly realized the fork was much more efficient at that, why do they even carry these useless kunai she thought to herself.

Meanwhile Trianna was walking down the hallway, following the annoyed shouts coming from Walker as he attempts to wake up his big sister. Childish really, but Peach Basket has been saved by that demon, twice now that you remember Trianna remembered Peach Basket telling her of her second death, and how she was revived once again by Walker's guild.

"(At least she's better treated by this pack then her old one)" Trianna thought.

She entered Walker's room, luckily he left it unlocked, but it wouldn't matter either way, most doors simply unlock all on their own by her mere presence, even they fear the curse she can lay down on them, and to think she's not even at her final reincarnation yet.

"Gunner" Trianna declared quickly bringing Walker's attention from Berry Melon to Trianna.

"Finally some help, can you-" Walker began.

"I've taken enough orders, and favors in my life, now it's time for my demands" Trianna said, her tone serious enough to flinch Walker.

Walker remained silent.

"As she may have told you, or you have heard, my daughter has been dead for a hundred years give, or take" Trianna began.

Walker nodded.

"They have abandoned my daughter, worse of all they left her dead without consulting me about it, to think that I-her own mother-had no idea of her death, well it puts a dent in my soul you could never imagine" Trianna continued.

Walker grew a serious face, and listened more intently on what Trianna was trying to tell him.

"Only recently have I realized the truth, but instead of me coming to her rescue you did it for me, leaving me worthless to my little one a second time" Trianna said.

"From the way she's been clinging to you all day yesterday I doubt she thinks that" Walker muttered.

"...Yes, she's...*sigh*. There is a job I have for you, I'll even pay in advance before I leave" Trianna declared.

"I'm listening" Walker muttered

"Those demons who left my daughter for dead, I can never forgive them, ever. Walker I want you to find them, and tell me of their locations as soon as possible, so I can kill them" Trianna explained.

"You're not gonna tell us to do it for you?" Walker asked.

"They've been training, and adventuring for a hundred years, your guild has either been slacking off, recently born, or just recently became your chosen classes. You will not stand a chance against them, and...I want to do this, for my daughter, I feel it is the only thing I can do for her" Trianna said.

"You can try staying here, and be her company, she'll like that" Walker said.

"Yes she would, but she'll never reach her true potential with me always coddling her, that is why we send our sorcerers out at young ages. It's difficult for anyone other than my kind to understand, but I believe most of you can share in some form that kind of coming of age rite" Trianna said.

"Yes, I think I get where you're going with this" Walker said.

"That's why I'm leaving today, well that's my main reason, another reason would be that I'm nearing my next cycle into a Soul Invoker" Trianna said.

Walker flinched at that realization.

"Yes, I'll be more loathed, and feared than before, but I will be welcomed, and honored in my tribe, there hasn't been a new Soul Invoker in decades. I hope that I will be welcomed, and honored here as well?" Trianna asked, although to Walker it sounded more like a threat than a question.

"O-okay, deal" Walker stammered.

"The job, or my promised welcome to your guild when I visit?" Trianna asked.

"Both" Walker said

With that they shook hands, Walker instantly regretted doing so because all of a sudden he felt as if his entire well being has been violated, Trianna took notice of this.

"Don't worry that wears off over time" Trianna said.

"The mental scarring, or the feeling of violation?" Walker gasped.

"Both" Trianna said.

Walker still had chills running down his spine.

"Eh~ how about as a way of saying sorry for not warning you what Oracles such as myself do to anyone they touch suddenly how about I wake up your sister?" Trianna said.

Walker remained motionless.

"Don't worry, I won't give her the same feeling I gave you, I've suppressed it away from my skin for now" Trianna assured.

Walker nodded, and slowly made his way out of his room.

"(Now then, what is the best way to wake up a sleeping child)...hm~" Trianna said thought, and hummed until suddenly she had a brilliant idea. "If it worked for my daughter all those years ago, it'll work for her" Trianna said to herself.

Trianna glares at the door, causing it to suddenly shut close, and lock on it's own, and taking one last glance to make sure no one was in the room other than herself, and Berry Melon. Once she thought the coast was clear she removed her skull helmet, her hair falls to just below her butt, a complete mess of split ends, knots, and loose chunks of hair going every which way. Despite forcing herself, and her daughter to bathe together last night for more bonding, it still looked the same as it did when she didn't bathe for weeks on end. No one must know, but Berry Melon had not skull helmet, and she knew she could pull this off, and put it back on without her knowing, she was that good. Placing her skull helmet on Berry Melon, Trianna then pulled out her Diablos Staff, a welcome gift from the Land of Carnage, and proceeded to club her skull helmet currently on Berry Melon. After the third strike she quickly pulled it off, she shoved her hair over her head, and placed her skull helmet back on her head.

"Oh~ my head is all ringy~" Berry Melon groaned.

"Wake up child, it is time to eat" Trianna explained.

"R-right, right away!" Berry Melon exclaimed.

She rushed out of the room with Trianna walking slowly after her. Now that the entire guild is present, and Walker finished with his deep breathing relaxation technique they were now ready for the debriefing.

"As I know you are all aware, the mail is here with jobs...and bills" Walker said.

"Who are we haunting today~" Limbo asked.

"Well, let's start with the one that sticks out the most" Walker said lifting the poster up, but still finding the words too small to read.

"Having fun ogling her?" Sasha teased.

"Shut it! Here you're the one with the glasses, you read it!" Walker exclaimed throwing the poster at Sasha who awkwardly caught it.

"What about her? She has glasses too!" Sasha whined.

"My spectacles are included to match my glaring, yet curious stare I give everyone, it also adds to my intelligent look by thirty percent" Sophie explained.

"And I know for a fact that your glasses are prescription since you're blind as a bat without 'em...actually forget about it. Lance, you're the bookworm here you read it" Walker instructed.

Sasha tossed the poster to Lance, it landed on his head, and he placed a bookmark to read where he left off as he looked at the poster. For a while Lance simply stared at it, not saying a word.

"...I meant to read it out loud" Walker said slapping his face with his palm.

"...Attention all demons, from around the Netherworld, and beyond! I your beautiful, and sexy bodied overlord demands your full, and undivided servitude. I require capable demons to deliver an important item for my personal reason, all those who wish to win my favor (and I know all of you do) should inquire your desire to the nearest Dimensional Gate where a Prinny shall await your response. Signed Overlord Etna" Lance read just loudly enough for everyone to hear.

"Is that all we got?" Megas grunted.

"No we still have this official looking letter..." Walker said bringing up said letter.

"Oh! Oh! I know that letter! It's from my school Maritsu!" Peachy called out.

"How did they get this address..." Walker wondered as he opened it.

"Who cares how anything happens here, I'm surprised you're still asking questions about it" Milky said.

"They keep track on all their students, mostly to annoy, or demand tuition we don't usually pay" Peachy explained.

"This letter looks typed by some machine thing that does those things" Walker said.

"Computer? Or perhaps they are using the typewriter for a more classic appearance?" Sophie asked.

"Don't care, but it says anyone who's interested in this should go to the faculty room, with instructions already on the letter on how to get there, it looks pretty official so this could be another OD we're talking about. So who wants it?" Walker said.

"Well to be honest, I kind of...don't want to get involved with, our...Overlord" Nina awkwardly said.

"Fine, you can go to Maritsu" Walker said.

"You're gonna love it there! The cafeteria always has grilled meat for lunch, everyone runs around a lot, it can get very lively, and the locales are always fun to watch sometimes-oh, and we have these things called delinquents who do a bunch of nice things for everyone" Peachy said.

"...Why?" Nina asked.

"I don't know!" Peachy cheered.

"Why haven't we seen anything like that the first time we were there?" Kimberly asked.

"Because it was dodge-ball day, duh!" Peachy said.

"Meow! Mew-mew~" Misha exclaimed.

Translation: (I shall see to it, that all of you shall pay dearly for your actions that faithful day)

"Still have no clue what you're saying...so Nina's going to the school, but who else is going to tag along, and who's going to lead the group?" Walker asked.

"I shall accompany her again, and lead the team" Aegis suddenly spoke out.

"I had a hell of a time there, mind if I tag along again?" Megas spoke out rather loudly.

"No skin off my bones, which you can't feel anymore because of my bulging muscles" Aegis remarked.

"Unnecessary information" Sophie said.

"I'm sensing a pattern here..." Walker said.

"How about it then uh~ Peach Basket? You want to try again, maybe do better than the last time with us?" Nina invited.

"Peach Basket go! Peach Basket do best, win HL!" Peach Basket exclaimed while banging on the table.

"An excellent decision" Trianna complimented.

"Lloyd! You in on this too then?" Megas asked rather loudly.

"A wandering mind shines in comparison to ignorance

Yearn for those you wish to be with, and embrace

Cascading shadows of memories long past

Adjacent feelings, positive, and steadfast" Lloyd answered.

"How hard is it for some of you guys to just say yes, or no?" Walker wondered.

"Unusually difficult it seems" Sophie said.

"Well any takers on the other one, who's going to stomach this Overlord?" Walker challenged.

"Overlords are big, which means the HL count is gonna be big, I can handle this one!" Sasha was the first to volunteer.

"An opportunity to explore, research, and investigate new territory...as a scientist I can't let this chance pass. I shall take the assignment, but we'll require a healer" Sophie said turning to Elfie.

"*Sigh* I see my talents for begging are needed, so be it" Elfie said.

"No your talents for healing will be needed" Sophie corrected.

"Hm~ wonder if they have anything worth stealing there..." Milky wondered.

"If the thieves in my Netherworld haven't already stolen it, you can help yourself" Nina assured.

"Then I'll take it! Along with Lloyd" Milky suddenly declared.

"Yes well-wait what" Nina blurted out.

"I wanna hang out with Lloyd now, it's the least I can do for letting us use his living room spontaneously combusted" Milky said.

"Well that's...noble, I think, but there's no reason to do all that, besides, he's already use to going on missions with us" Nina said.

"You've only been in one job with him, that doesn't mean you own him" Milky said.

"Take Isabelle, she's has the same skills" Milky offered

Isabelle gleamed.

"But she's loud, and Lloyd is easier to deal with" Nina said growing, more, and more frustrated.

"Aw~" Isabelle groaned.

Walker noticing the rise in Nina's voice quickly intervened.

"We'll flip a coin, call it mid-flip, and however gets it, gets it" Walker declared.

"When is it my turn for girls to fight over me? Wasn't that the main reason why I've joined this establishment?" Schrodinger called out.

"The help it will require to have anyone of the opposite gender join you number greater than the stars themselves" Kimberly poetically put it.

"And your kind are still a bitch, and a hassle no matter how fancy your words are" Schrodinger said.

"Enough! I'm flipping this coin, call it now!" Walker declared, and tossing the coin straight upwards

"Heads!" Milky called out first

"Tails!" Nina shouted.

(An actual coin was flipped for this decision)

The coin hit the table, and spun for a moment before stopping flat, the surface of the coin revealed it to be...

"Heads, Milky get's the Blue Skull!" Walker declared.

"You won't live long enough to enjoy this win!" Nina assured.

"*Bleh~*" Milky blew her tongue out at Nina.

"You wanna start something midget bitch!" Nina threatened.

"Sore loser!" Milky retaliated.

"Enough, both of you! You've been dealt your cards, you gotta play with what ya got!" Walker declared as if this discussion was final. When neither girl lashed out Walker took this moment to speak again. "We got another job, this one from...aw hell. Comet..." Walker said.

"The carpenter? What does he want?" Elfie asked.

"It reads...*mumble, mumble*...what! Screw that!" Walker cried out after reading it out loud.

"Now you got me curious, fess up partner" Sasha said.

"*Ugh* he wants a second opinion on a bunch of stuff he made, and for some damn reason I'm the only one he called out to" Walker said.

"Maybe he knows you're a tough guy to impress, and wanted a challenge?" Phoenix suggested.

"No, if that were the case why would he settled with the likes of us?" Elfie reasoned.

"That's true, lately he's been accepting help wherever he can huh? What do you call it, desperate, or gullible?" Sasha added.

"That's not how you run an organization, let alone a guild" Kimberly scolded.

"It's okay~ for as long as you promise to embrace nature, I'll always follow your poor leadership skills!" Maple chimed.

"Huh? Did you say something, I just got this really catchy beat in my head. Oh yeah, uh-huh, that's right" Peachy remarked as she began to dance sitting down.

"Hate you...hate you all..." Walker growled

"Well aren't ya going to take it?" Sasha asked.

"*Sigh~*" Walker sighed before glancing at the bills. They were flat out of HL from the remodeling, and some fast cash was in order. "Yeah I'll do it..." Walker grunted in defeat.

"What about the rest of us?" Noelle added.

"We wanna do stuff too!" Isabelle chimed.

"Make yourselves useful doing something else then, and if you can't then don't do anything!" Walker instructed.

"Well that sounds easy enough, I'm going outside to soak in some sun" Maple cheered as she leaped off her chair, and bounced out of the dining hall.

"If that settles it then finish your food, and let's go" Walker concluded.

Eating what little there was on their plate it took the team roughly five minutes to finish their meals, and walk out of the building. Maple, Schrodinger, Phoenix, Lance, Misha, Blank, and Aldo stayed behind doing whatever is they pleased until further notice as the rest of the team left for the town.

"You said you were going to leave us, but when are you exactly?" Nina cautiously asked.

"I'll see my daughter off when she goes to her destination, then I'll leave for mine...do you want me to leave right away?" Trianna asked coldly.

"N-no no, just getting some chit-chat going" Nina nervously answered.

"It isn't necessary, but who am I to make a scene, and ruin everyone's good day" Trianna said.

Not a single one of the guild members had the courage to state the irony in her statement.

"Y-yeah, that's true, *ehehe~*" Peachy lied while laughing nervously.

"In...*ahem* lighter news, I shall present an especially well made brand of custom iced tea made by yours truly" Kimberly declared.

"Consistency is refreshing, taste is, fruity, with a tropical pungent odor thus giving the drinker a positive feeling in all the user's senses" Sophie explained.

"What about hearing?" Elfie asked.

"You'll enjoy the sound of you drinking your tea, but that's all depends on the user's level of narcissism" Sophie explained.

"It's gonna taste great" Milky translated.

"Still uncertain, no test has confirmed our hypothesis, yet the chances of failure are less than thirty four percent" Sophie insisted.

"Can we make a quick stop at Lloyd's place first so I can bring some iced tea to go?" Milky asked.

"So long as you don't stay any longer than you need to be" Walker said.

"We want to play 'job' too!" Noelle, and Isabelle cried out

"Well you're not playing with me" Walker grunted.

"Aw~" Noelle, and Isabelle groaned loudly.

"Yeah, not gonna work, you're just gonna have to find your own fun somewhere around here, and I better not see a bill" Walker warned.

"Only the best at our guild" Sasha joked.

"Shut up" Walker muttered.

"Meow, mew-mew!" Misha exclaimed.

Translation: (I wish to relinquish the book worm of all his dark cult novels, I shall depart)

"I've never seen a monster who couldn't properly speak before" Nina just realized.

"Yeah we have no idea what do about that, maybe we need to take him to a vet?" Walker figured.

"Mew! Meow, meow!" Misha exclaimed.

Translation: (I am not a simple house cat, I shall show you the force of a thousand tortured souls)

"Stop it you guys, you're scaring the little guy!" Berry Melon scolded, picking up Misha, and snuggling the Catsaber.

"Meow! Mew! Mew! Mew!" Misha cried out.

Translation: (The affection, it burns!)

They made it out of the woods, everything seemed normal until the town saw them coming, more specifically they saw Trianna coming.

"It's the hexer! Run!" Shouted a random passing Petite Orc

Several of the townspeople quickly got sweep up in the panic, and ran to the safety of indoors.

"Damn it, not again" Walker grunted.

"They'll get over it" Trianna assured.

They came across Comet's workshop, and home.

"This is my stop, I better not have to pay for your mistakes" Walker warned.

"We'll be fine, don't worry about it" Sasha assured.

"I'm always worried when you say that" Walker reminded.

Walker split off from the group, deciding to wait until they are out of his field of vision before knocking, he doesn't want to give them a show.

"Any minute now we should be passing near Lloyd's abode, we shall make a quick detour to collect our sample" Sophie reported.

"Now keep in mind we may not have enough for everyone, but don't be disappointed. Sophie was wise enough to document our entire adventure, and can remake it exactly as it was intended" Kimberly stated with pride.

"Such high regard, I wouldn't speak so highly of something you haven't tried before" Aegis said.

"I'll have you know we have taken sample teaspoon tastes, and although it taste adequate enough warm, it's sole purpose was to be drunk cold" Kimberly explained.

"Yes, I understand that much, but...just don't get your hopes up" Aegis muttered.

"It'll be fine, everything always turns out fine" Milky assured.

"Not in my house..." Lloyd muttered sadly.

"That was before we made it better with our presence" Kimberly said.

"Science can fix any solution...eventually" Sophie said.

"We didn't really do a lot of science in Lloyd's house" Milky said.

"We mixed solutions to create a single concoction, that's called chemistry! Chemistry is a form of science!" Sophie tried to reason.

"I though chemistry was the thing a boy, and girl have that keeps them so well together" Peachy thought.

"That's, that's not even relatively similar" Sophie said.

"Is our chemistry perfect?" Noelle asked.

"We're asking because we're both girls, and you said it's for a boy, and girl-" Isabelle added.

"Yet we have such a close bond to each other" Noelle finished.

"That's-that's different too" Peachy awkwardly answered.

"Yay~ we're different!" Noelle, and Isabelle cheered.

"T-this is starting to get a little confusing" Kelly said.

"Oh, thank goodness Lloyd's home, now we can end this silly dribble" Kimberly said.

A quick sharp left turn, the group detoured towards Lloyd's house just as the majority didn't want to do. Lloyd opened his door to reveal that their cauldron has still been kept cold in Lloyd's cold, lonely heart essence (which is what he calls the basic ice spell he cast that everyone knows).

"Good, it seems as if everything is still in order, now then, create an entrance above the cauldron so that I may freely retrieve my iced tea" Kimberly asked.

"So basically she's asking you to open the fridge" Milky reiterated simply.

"Only it's magical I'm sure" Nina added.

Lloyd muttered something under his breath, probably related to misery, and sadness, and the upper half of the arctic bubble evaporated.

Kimberly, Milky, and Sophie peered into the cauldron, and were met with a glowing, gold liquid which smelled like an assortment of fresh berries.

"Where are the pitchers, and ladles?" Kimberly asked.

Milky returned grabbing several pitchers, each with a metal ladle inside them.

The three girls quickly shoveled as much of the iced tea as they could, Limbo didn't do anything to help despite his involvement since he was a ghost.

"Now for the real taste test...Aegis drink this" Milky ordered.

"No, don't get me involve in your pointless experiment" Aegis said.

"But you're the Heavy Knight! You out of all of us can take most beatings, inside, and out" Milky tried to reason as her eyes were gradually becoming watery.

"What gives you the assumption that I have an iron stomach?" Aegis demanded.

"Pwetty pwease~?" Milky whined giving him the teary eyed puppy eyes.

Before Aegis could answer, Milky was bonked on the head by Berry Melon's staff, held by Berry Melon.

"You're not allowed to be cuter than me, I worked hard to be this cute!" Berry Melon squeaked.

"No she didn't" Elfie whispered.

"Pwetty pwease~?" Berry Melon repeated with the same teary eyed puppy dog eyes.

"Elfie can you come over here, I think Milky has a concussion" Kimberly stated

"It's good to be the king" Elfie muttered to herself as she went to work fixing Milky.

"If anyone's gonna be doing any drinking, it should be me!" Megas suddenly declared.

"Good, do it, go" Aegis said quickly retreating

Megas grabbed one of the many pitchers of custom iced tea, and chug the whole thing down his throat.

"He can really drink" Nina said.

"You probably don't have his kind in your Netherworld, but a lot of us know they drink the most since they are basically plants, and need as much water in their system as they can" Elfie explain after spitting on Milky's shirt, then spat again seeing as how her spit needed to make contact with skin.

"The result? The result?" Sophie repeated bringing out her notepad once again, and smiling hravily.

"Hm~ not fermented enough" Megas said.

"It wasn't suppose to be alcoholic you wood-brain!" Milky exclaimed right after recovering from her concussion.

"It's berry-licious?" Megas tried to explain.

"I told you not to add that extra black berry incense, now it's too strong for anyone to taste the fruity-ness of the apple" Kimberly scolded.

"It's not like iced apple tea was any popular to begin with" Milky said shrugging.

"Now ya'll are just crazy talking. I love apple drinks, and I love apple cider like Walker loves sarsaparilla" Sasha stated.

"*Belch* Ah~ that hit the spot, well it's not bad, you guys did alright!" Megas bellowed.

"One of many I hope" Kimberly said with pride.

"If that is all then we should get going, the dimensional gate isn't going to stay open" Aegis reminded.

After stowing away all the extra drinks in their inventory, planning to store then in the walk in refrigerator at the guild the left Lloyd's house to make their way to the Public Dimensional Gate transit station.

"Hey Firefly, are you upset because you didn't get a job...again?" Berry Melon suddenly asked

"O-oh n-no I'm just-I'm fine, I'll do my p-part doing something else" Firefly stuttered.

"Maybe you can do our dry-cleaning?" Berry Melon suggested.

"B-but w-what if I choke on the steam, and s-suffocate!" Firefly stammered loudly.

"I've been struck with inspiration! We should have Comet build us a sauna! At the very least a room to clean our pores" Kimberly said.

"That's just asking for a mugging from some jealous sap" Sasha said.

"We should start slow, at least until we're considered a threat. We can't even take on the senators" Aegis stated.

"Life is hard, and full of turmoils, live with it" Trianna said.

"Ooah! We not make it better!" Peach Basket chimed.

"That too, thank you little one" Trianna said patting Peach Basket's skull helmet, Peach Basket sighed happily.

"Girls stop it, you're scaring Firef-where the hell did she go?" Aegis wondered as Firefly was nowhere near their group.

"She left, I think for her house, something about needing more cushions, and bubble wrap" Berry Melon chipped in.

"Alright, if you're so sure why don't you check up on her, take Noelle, and Isabelle while you're at it.

"I know we look cute together, but I don't see why you want all three of us to go~" Berry Melon chimed.

"Is there any other reason to go?" Sasha sudddenly declared.

"Good point-let's go!" Berry Melon quickly said dragging Noelle, and Isabelle away to Firefly's house.

"Bye~" Noelle, and Isabelle happily shouted as they were being forced against their will to go somewhere else.

"It doesn't feel right sending those three out on their own like that" Aegis just realized.

"I can I don't know babysit them, I read somewhere that normal teen girls do that to make money" Kelly said.

"Well you seem to be the most competent person who's not working" Aegis figured.

"What about me~ oh~" Limbo groaned

"You're a spirit, you do not count in that category" Sophie stated rather obviously.

"We'll I'll be going now, I don't know where Firefly lives so I gotta follow the Mage's trail before it gets cold. See ya-" Kelly said quickly disappearing in a cloud of smoke.

"Looks like we're almost toward the transit station, took longer than expected, but at least it's progress" Aegis muttered.

"Wait, I just thought of something. Now just hear me out, but don't you think because of...her" Nina began pointing at Trianna. "The transit lady will be hiding as well, and the dimensional gate unusable" Nina suggested.

"That...that would suck" Megas said.

"So maybe hanging out with her might not...you know be such a good idea" Nina continued.

"Hope you weren't planning on living anywhere near the future dear Nina" Trianna playfully joked, but not really as her eyes suddenly glowed red then disappeared.

"I-I was just saying!" Nina argued.

"She's pretty power crazy" Megas said.

"Most of the high ranking ones are" Aegis said.

Now in front of the Public Dimensional Gate the group saw Ariel minding her own business due to lack of travelers on her side.

"See it all worked out in the end" Nina said.

"Well, fine-" Trianna said, her eyes shined a bright red once again. "I can't remove curses, but I can modify them, now you'll only suffer excruciating pain, you're welcome" Trianna said.

"Damn it! Make it better now!" Nina shouted.

Trianna chose to ignore her.

"You skull wearing bitch I'm gonna-" Nina started.

"-I can hel~p" Peachy declared.

"...Seriously" Nina said calming down.

"She is a cheerleader, their pep-talks are surprisingly effective" Trianna said.

"We just have to do the synchronized dance of good luck! Now just follow my hips-" Peachy began already going into position.

"No!" Nina shouted, her anger returning.

"Oh~, but you haven't even heard the lyrics to the song that goes with it~" Peachy whined.

"In that case, hell no!" Nina shouted.

"Just do it already, you're more useful not broken" Aegis stated.

"You just want to perve on me dancing don't ya!" Nina shouted in her fit of rage.

"I'm not the once cursed here, and besides, now's a good as time as any since there's no one around" Aegis said.

"He is correct you know, be over, and done with, and learn from your mistakes" Kimberly scolded.

"Hang on, this might help" Milky said

Milky splashed Nina with half a pitcher of iced tea, the cool drink quickly bringing Nina's boiling temperature to a more moderate simmer.

"...You guys...turn away, or I will punch you in your sleep" Nina warned.

"Whatever get's us through this faster" Aegis said impatiently.

"I won't, I'm going to enjoy watching this" Trianna said.

"Damn you..." Nina growled

Peach Basket just can't get over how evil, and awesome her mom is.

"Okay so first you shake your hips twice to the left, then to the right, then shake it once to the left again while clapping your hands once, shake it once to the right again clapping your hand once. All while singing 'You shake it to the left, you shake it to the right, let's all get uncursed tonight!' It's not very original, but it's the fastest way to getting rid of your future problem" Peachy assured.

"And to think I thought this was going to be a good day" Nina muttered.

"Okay! Ready~" Peachy said placing her hands on her hips, Nina doing the same reluctantly.

"You shake it to the left- you shake it to the right- let's all get uncursed tonight!" Peachy cheered, Nina grumbled.

And nothing special happened.

"...So, did it work?" Nina asked.

"It did! You just have to wait, and see~" Peachy teased.

_End of Chapter_

_I got some good suggestions again, gonna try to make them as entertaining as possible. Also going to try to proofread everything from chapter one to today, and just fix everything. But it will take some time so don't expect any changes any time soon. Thanks for the support, the reviews, and most importantly your patience._


	27. Chapter 27

_Chapter 27: Quests, Requests, and Pests_

_I don't know about you, but I think I'm pretty clever making it rhyme like that_

_Walker: I once shot a fly off the edge of a two story roof left-handed, and while I was twenty yards away._

_You couldn't let me have this moment could you, you just had to ruin it for me...Enjoy!_

At the Public Dimensional Gate Transit Station

"Momma~!" Peach Basket wailed as the inevitable leaving of her mother has now come.

She clung tightly to her mother's waist, her legs limp as if forgetting there was nothing wrong with them as she cried her eyes out.

"Now, now little one we will reunite soon-" Trianna said.

"Momma~!" Peach Basket repeated in the same tone.

"...Um~ can you take us to where we can apply to this job offer?" Milky awkwardly asked showing their gate keeper Ariel the poster.

"Ah~ yes Overlord Etna, you want that Netherworld. Very well, seeing as how the transit isn't being used..." Ariel said glancing at Trianna. "I shall open a dimensional to her, this might take a while, no one has ever wanted to visit the Netherworld ruled by Overlord Etna" Ariel explained.

Nina suddenly shook after hearing that. "Even a dimension away, and she still gives me the shudders" Nina said.

"This is gonna be so much fun" Elfie replied with heavy sarcasm.

"We'll bring back some souvenirs for y'all" Sasha assured.

"Probability factor of a possible failure will be increased to meet new statistic demands" Sophie assured.

"Fleeting time of passable peace now concluded" Lloyd muttered.

"So...I guess we'll just get right to it then. It was nice getting to know you Trianna" Milky said.

"Don't be a stranger" Trianna waved them off goodbye as Peachy, Milky, Lloyd, Sasha, and Elfie were sent to their fate.

"So where would the rest of your be going off to?" Ariel asked her job apparently not done yet.

"Maritsu Evil Academy" Aegis answered.

"Well that sounds much more enjoyable" Ariel said.

"Ya bet! Anymore battles happening like last time!?" Megas loudly asked.

"None that I was aware of, it seems things have settled down until everyone recovers from their injuries" Ariel reported.

"That should make our job much easier" Aegis realized.

"Wait! I just realized something!" Nina suddenly spoke out.

"Ooah!" Peach Basket cried out in what could only be translated as 'what'?

Well, think about this, we got a letter demanding students to meet at the faculty room right?" Nina began.

"Yes" Aegis assured.

"Well obviously that was addressed to Peachy since she's the only student there right?" Nina added.

"I dropped out a while back, but pretty much" Megas said.

"So why in the hell were we sent to do this when it has absolutely nothing to do with us?" Nina wondered.

"...Because we lost control of our lives?" Aegis answered.

"No one likes us?" Megas added.

"We bad luck, we black sheep?" Peach Basket added.

"I was just going to say we got carried away by our meeting...is all of that true?" Nina wondered.

"We haven't destroyed Walker's property yet, maybe we're just over-exaggerating" Aegis figured.

"Well, just take us to the school already!" Nina impatiently demanded.

"Momma~!" Peach Basket exclaimed suddenly realizing what would happen as soon as she left, and once again clung to Trianna.

"Now, now remember what I taught you my dear. We sorcerers can always stay in touch through our cauldrons. You remember the enchantment?" Trianna asked.

Peach Basket nodded her head slowly.

"Good girl, then all you have to do is drop your letter, or whatever you wish into the cauldron's brew, you do remember the ingredients, and components?" Trianna asked.

Again Peach Basket nodded.

"Then I will be waiting for your letter telling me about your day later tonight. I don't know when I'll return, but I will return" Trianna assured giving Peach Basket one more bear hug before walking away.

"Momma, good luck, be best sorcerer!" Peach Basket waved goodbye, teary eyed, and all.

Not looking back they left for the dimensional gate leading them to Maritsu Evil Academy.

Delta Team: Peach Basket, Nina, Aegis, and Megas

Returning to the same dimensional gate where they first came through they found several Prinnies cleaning up large chunks of debris, and dodge-balls.

"They're still cleaning the mess?" Nina wondered.

"Not ashamed to admit some of this is my fault!" Megas proclaimed.

"Welcome to Maritsu Dood!" A Prinny next to the dimensional gate welcomed.

"Aren't you that same Prinny that talked to us a while back?" Megas asked.

"No, that must have been my twin brother, he's still recovering dood" the Prinny exclaimed.

"What's the damage?" Aegis asked.

"Oh you know, the usual for us dood..." the Prinny answered.

"Ooah! Many bumps, and holes-yes!" Peach Basket poorly explained.

"How's his life insurance?" Nina asked.

"Life insurance-ha good one dood!" The Prinny laughed it off, but inside he died a little.

"Can you tell us where the faculty room is? We have business there" Aegis asked.

"To your right, there's a sign on the door you can't miss it dood" the Prinny answered.

"Go right, see sign, Peach Basket knows now" Peach Basket assured.

With nothing better to do the team decided to take their leave, and headed for the faculty room.

"Glad we don't have to cross an entire continent to get to the faculty room" Aegis said.

"Heh, yeah huh" Nina said grinning at the joke...

"...That wasn't mean to be funny, I was being serious" Aegis explained.

"W-wha-" Nina stuttered.

"You must be really new here! This entire Netherworld is just one big ass school!" Megas explained.

"How does that even work?" Nina asked.

"Who said anything about it being able to work?" Aegis asked.

"Students wild, meat served, good place to start!" Peach Basket said.

"For the most part yeah, this place feels pretty tamed, it's still hectic, and evil, but it's more of a mischievous evil than malevolent. Young demons being...well young demons" Aegis said.

They turned their attention to a pair of large double doors, and a broad sign at top which read 'Faculty Room' in bold white. Aegis opened both doors, and were greeted by a Star Mage acting as a receptionist behind her was a slew of other demon office employees though you wouldn't know considering they are doing everything possible to destroy their paperwork, and yet it's still a mess of papers on the floor. We say acting because clearly the Star Mage was too busy brushing her hair to do any real work which would have been against the rules anyways. The Star Mage glanced at the group barely giving them a care, and returned to her brushing.

"Are you-" Aegis began.

"First door on your left, boardroom, can't miss it" the Star Mage pointed.

"Hello to you too" Nina muttered as they left for the single push door on their left.

The boardroom longer than the faculty room, and had a long table seating ten on the side, and perhaps two on the front, and rear end of the table. A second single door was seen on the far left side of the room. Several of the seats were taken by an assortment of Lady Warriors, Magic Knights, a few Rangers, and a few Skulls, and Mages. One particular Skull glanced at them, and instantly called out at the guild members.

"You!" Shouted the Red Skull

"Us!" Megas bellowed.

"Do we know you?" Aegis demanded.

"All my calculations, my planning, ruined by a bunch of cheats!" The Red Skull shouted.

"Cursed timing, your fault, no planned for curse of back-up" Peach Basket said

"*Tch!* Can someone fix a translator on her?" The Red Skull asked around.

"Ooah! Mock Peach Basket I make life bad for you! You no like it!" Peach Basket growled.

"Yeah, don't be such a sore loser" Nina added.

"I'm sure if we all got thrashed we can go back to being buds!" Megas assured.

"We weren't associated to begin with!" The Red Skull declared.

"*A-achoo~!*" Sneezed a Green Mage.

"Bah! I don't have time for childish games" the Red Skull muttered as he returned to his seat next to the Green Mage.

Both of them sat a little too closely together even if he was being attentive to her needs. The guild decided to sit adjacent them seeing as how they were little options left, looking at the rest of the demons they all had a disgusted look on their face when they glanced at the Red Skull, and Green Mage.

"Wonder what crawled up their ass, and died?" Nina whispered.

"They're just uncomfortable with the public display of affection...actually now that I mention it, I kind of feel the same way. At least I can hide it better" Aegis whispered an answer.

"Get a room!" Megas shouted.

"W-we're in a room" weakly replied the Green Mage.

"That's not what he meant, and he should mind his own business" the Red Skull said.

"Are we waiting on someone?" Aegis asked.

The Red Skull choose not to answer, and so he directed his attention to a neighboring Lady Warrior.

"So is there?" Aegis repeated the question.

"Huh? Oh! Y-yeah there's someone we need to wait for" the Lady Warrior answered.

"So this demon...who is it?" Aegis asked.

"The one who probably sent us those letters of attendance" the Lady Warrior answered.

Aegis looked around the room, there were fifteen demons all together counting himself, and his team.

"How many of those letters did they send out? Just out of curiosity" Aegis asked.

"I don't know, couple thousand give, or take is that right?" The Lady Warrior asked the Ranger next to her.

"About, it was quite a mess, and I think a lot of them have been piled up by the students only to be jumped on like a pile of dead leaves" the Ranger answered.

"So out of the thousands that could-no should have attended this, we volunteered?" Nina asked.

"Is she new here?" The Ranger asked noticing the strikingly different everything about her.

"From another Netherworld, Brawler" Nina answered.

"Related to the Wind Spinners by any chance?" The Ranger asked.

"Yes? Is that what Brawlers are called here?" Nina asked.

"That's the norm anyways" the Lady Warrior muttered.

"Ooah! Peach Basket see door shake!" Peach Basket exclaimed as she glanced at the single door which sure enough the door knob was shaking, and the door opened. Everyone quickly quieted themselves, and sat much more firmly in their seats than they normally would as their employer walked herself over to the front center of the room. A young preteen girl in a white strapless dress with red outlines, white knee high socks, white shoes with red shoe soles, and a red flowing tie resembling a fan attached to a white collar on her neck. Her hair was as blue as the sky with a decorative red bow which matched her outfit, and red eyes perfectly. Her expression was that of no concern, joy, anger, or anything emotion. Her small hands carried a stuffed white rabbit with red stitched eyes, inner ears, and a stitched mouth forming something...it looked as it was undecided on whether to smile, or frown so it chose a straight line. For the most part everyone thought very little of it until they could have sworn it turned it's head ever so slightly to get a better look at them. As if things weren't already weird enough it seemed as if the young girl was whispering something no one could hear, but she directed her attention to the rabbit rather than the group of demons watching them. After doing this for what seemed like hours, though it's only been a minute, or so she finally, gently placed the rabbit on the table, but did not take a seat, and stood standing behind the rabbit.

"I think we should run" Nina whispered close to Aegis.

"Thank you all for coming!" Spouted a voice from nowhere.

Everyone jumped at the sudden rise in volume, and looked all over the room for the source of the noise, clearly it wasn't the girl, or the-

"No need to strain your necks, I'm the one talking" the voice spoke again.

Despite the shock the voice sounded...oddly familiar as if it wasn't the first, or the last time they would be hearing it again. Finally after getting the hint, yet still not entirely believing it they turned to the stuffed rabbit.

"Good your catching on, let me bring you up to speed" the stuffed rabbit declared.

"Alright, who spiked my drink?" Megas called out to his guild team.

"I can assure you this is no hallucination, and I can guarantee the reward isn't one either" the Rabbit assured.

This got everyone's attention.

"Now for a quick introduction before we get down to the nitty gritty. You may call me simply as 'Usagi' strange name for a rabbit, but it grows on you. You may recognize me as the P.A voice that annoys you with useless declarations over the speakers" Usagi said.

A few of the demons nodded, now suddenly realizing where they heard his, her...it's voice

"My silent partner next to me is known as Pleinair, you may recognize her as the girl who doesn't talk, and ignores your existence" Usagi pointed out.

Again several demons nodded.

"Good, good not too many of you have been living under a rock, one last question. Are you all familiar with a demon named Axel? Blonde spiky hair, purple spiky eyebrows, topless save for a white jacket with a spiky collar, wields a spiky white, and dark purple guitar?" Usagi questioned.

"We get it, he's spiky" Aegis groaned.

Once again several demons nodded, though some of them looked as if they had devoured something bitter, and spoiled.

"Well if it makes you feel any better, he's the problem we want removed" Usagi declared.

There was a brief sigh of relief, and even some clapping from the demons.

"Over the following weeks during his...tours he has been haggling our dear, sweet Pleinair for unjust accusations he had fabricated" Usagi began.

"Specifics?" Asked the Red Mage.

"For the most part they all involved invitations to be a special guest at one of his shows. At the beginning she was asked to be a background singer, but after several refusals, Axel became pleading, and gave her an offer of a duet with him. Again refused...then he became desperate" Usagi said.

The demons leaned in their chairs ever so slightly to better hear what Usagi had to say.

"Just recently we had been engaged in attempted kidnappings, all failing miserably as you can see we are both untouched, but the more we push back the more Axel seems to force himself upon us. It has come to the point of no return, either we deal with him personally, or Pleinair will attend his concert.

Many of the demons shuddered at the thought of such a terrible fate.

"Which is why we will take up arms against him, and show him once, and for all, we are not interested" Usagi declared.

"So what do you want us to do?" A Ranger asked.

"Simple, we intercepted enemy chatter of another attempted kidnapping near the cafeteria, and gym. We have also located Axel's base of operations as well as where he keeps his stage equipment. Splitting into three teams two of which will deal with his loyal fan base acting as volunteer guards while one team wrecks everything they can making sure he won't be able to play anymore concerts for at least a few more weeks. I shall continue my job as voice announcer, but while my announcements may be the usual run of the mill declarations, for you guys they will be signals to either start, continue, or retreat we'll brief you on that later" Usagi explained.

"And what would Pleinair be doing?" The Lady Warrior asked.

"Pleinair is far too busy with important duties to get involved in this!" Usagi assured.

Pleinair was messing around with a wooden cup on a thick stick with a string attached, and attached to that string was a red rubber ball. She jerked the cup forward attempting to dunk the red ball in the cup, but oh no! The ball missed the cup, but don't worry the ball was attached to a string attached to the cup so she could try again.

"Very busy" Usagi assured.

"So what are the teams?" A warrior asked.

"One team will be the saboteurs their goal to wreck havoc on Axel's stuff. The other two teams will act as commandos fighting off his guard. If all goes well he should be left exposed, and unable to perform" Usagi said.

"Can we four be in the same team? We're kind of already part of a guild" Nina asked.

"Us too!" The Red Skull said motioning towards the Green Mage beside him.

"Fine, you two can be on the same team" Usagi said.

"W-with them, impossible, improbable" the Red Skull said.

"Is there a problem?" Usagi asked.

"We have a sort of bad history together" Aegis explained.

"Well get over it, you're a team now" Usagi assured.

Sigma Team: Lloyd, Sophie, Sasha, Milky, and Elfie

The very first view of this new Netherworld was already breathtaking even though it was inside. The hallway they found themselves in had a ceiling higher than the tallest buildings in their crummy town, the hallway had a beautiful, and snug red carpet made of stuff more expensive than the building they live in, the halls were glimmering with so much shine they might as well be made of gold, thought that wouldn't surprise them in the least if that were the case. Besides the décor of the building something else quickly brought everyone's attention, the numerous Prinnies running about either carrying some kind of cleaning device, or some form of food, or clothing, as well as just pointlessly running about. They all had that look of fear on their sweaty, exhausted faces as their continuous chores resumed never ending. Eventually though a single Prinny stopped at the sight of them, and greeted them.

"C-can I help you dood?" The Prinny asked.

"Howdy scamp, we're here fer the job offer ya gave us through the mail" Sasha said pulling out the poster describing the job description.

"No way someone actually wants to do this? You must really be the bottom of the barrel" the Prinny said.

"A Prinny doing manual labor for next to nothing has no right to say that" Sophie stated.

"You're right...okay I'll tell you what you need to do" the Prinny assured.

"Wait, isn't 'this' person suppose to be doing that?" Milky said tapping at the poster.

"Overlord Etna, meeting commoners? Good one dood! now follow me outside so I can tell you where to go dood" the Prinny said walking away from them, expected to be followed. With nothing else to go for they followed several feet behind him.

Descending down several staircases, two hallways, and an ice-cream parlor which they stopped at for a quick break, and some vanilla chocolate chip ice cream they finally made it outside.

"See that forest way over there on your left-dood?" The Prinny pointed out.

They all nodded.

"There's a dirt trail that will take you to a large lake, for you see, it's almost time for Overlord Etna's lunch, and for such an exquisite meal demands only the best dessert dood" the Prinny began.

So there's a bakery at the edge of the lake?" Elfie asked.

"Yes, and no dood. There is a bakery, but it's so ancient that it's in ruins...and it's not at the edge of the lake, it's at the bottom of it dood" the Prinny declared.

"Where's the location, location, location logic in that? How did it make any HL if it was inaccessible?" Milky asked.

"Well this may just be a story, but it was accessible. Long ago that underwater bakery, and cooking factory-forgot about that part- housed the greatest chefs in that era dood. Demons all over the Netherworld, and beyond would visit that bakery to taste the delicacies it produced dood! Then suddenly they stopped production all together, to this day no one knows why doods. Still if the legends are true then before the chefs left the building they left behind one single cupcake, the 'perfect cupcake' they called it, said to bring a demons taste buds to pure bliss, it was so tasty dood! Many adventures tried, and failed, and to this day that cupcake still presides in the same spot for over a thousand years untouched dood. We wanted someone to bring us that cupcake so we may present it to Overlord Etna, and maybe then she'll be too happy to order too much of us for a while dood" the Prinny explained.

"Time is not on our side it seems. If we do not act now we won't have another chance to complete this, woe is us, woe is thee" Lloyd groaned.

"This sounds dangerous, the fatality risk is quite high, Lloyd, Sasha, Milky, and Elfie you should all go in together, and I'll update you on information via a safe distance" Sophie said slowly retreating. She was quickly grabbed by Elfie, and Sasha.

"Now hold on there partner we're not gunna let ya miss out on all the fun!" Sasha said pulling Sophie towards the forest with the rest of the team.

"No way you guys are actually doing it-dood? You know we won't be held responsible for whatever happens in there-dood!" The Prinny exclaimed.

"Thanks for the sendoff!" Milky loudly responded.

And so our brave, yet foolish adventurers traveled towards the woods simply known as...'the forest' because they never bothered to ask whether, or not it had a name, or not. The sunny day now shrouded by the thick leaves leaving little scrapes, and holes of sunlight to poke at the road, but not dark enough to need any sort of alternative source of light. On the way they found nothing of interest, but they did have all the time in the netherworld to talk amongst themselves, much to their dismay.

"So...any hobbies?" Milky suddenly asked.

"Hm~ well I remember doing a lot of things when I was a Succubus...yes, a lot of things" Elfie remembered. "Now I just beg for HL, and work with you guys" Elfie answered.

"I mainstay a schedule of at least three hours of science related activities provided this quest does not take up most of the day. I also dabble in a little story telling to keep my imagination strong therefore giving me new ideas to science into reality" Sophie answered.

"Time, a fickle mistress never truly on your side~

An infernal twist of the clock speeding, slowing~

Writing these lyrics with no song in stride~

Time wasted, time never returning~" Lloyd poetically put it.

"I'm a gal with a keen eye for fun most of them involve messing with Walker. Now that I think about it, I haven't done that in a while...huh..." Sasha explained

"We're not gonna have a lot of fun together are we?" Milky said.

"We'll get by, who knows what will happen" Elfie assured.

"*Sigh* I miss Kimberly" Milky said.

"She's okay I guess" Elfie said.

Before the woods can get any thicker they saw a clearing just a few feet away from them. Shielding their eyes until their eyes could grow accustomed to the sun, they were amazed to find the lake they were walking towards was actually rather beautiful by Netherworld standards. The lake was large, blue, and dazzling from the reflection of the sun. A small hut with no front wall was seen carrying several odd tools they couldn't identify from their distance curiosity got the better of them, and so the walked towards it. Turns out it was only a boat rental stand with a bored Serpent beside the building.

"Boat rentals...come get 'em while their hot" the Serpent growled.

"Are they fresh out of the oven?" Milky asked.

"I worded that wrong...we also sell gear to help demons breathe underwater, they're not gills, but they work to an extent" the Serpent said.

"What are your prices for a rental boat, and five oxygen tanks?" Sophie asked.

"You wouldn't happen to be after the suppose legendary cupcake in there are you?" The Serpent murmured in a thick growl.

"It's futile isn't it?" Lloyd asked.

"No it's there alright, 'course that's what I tell demons to get them to buy my stuff, but I'm pretty sure it's true" the Serpent assured.

"Ever been inside?" Sasha asked.

"Yeah, couple of times, for a bakery it sure resembles a weird temple of sorts. Lots of puzzle, and stuff probably created by the ancient bakers to guard their secret recipes, and snacks" the Serpent explained.

"Wonderful" Elfie said with heavy distaste.

Walker

Looking back at his guild leaving for adventures of great worth, and excitement he sighed to himself wondering why he had to be stuck with such a mundane task, but HL is HL, and currently he does not have the profit to be picky about work. He knocked at the door, crossing his arms, and tapping his foot impatiently until moments later the door was opened by Comet.

"Walker! My what a surprise" Comet excitedly proclaimed.

"(Didn't he send for me through that letter?)" Walker thought.

"Come in, come in! There's much to show you!" Comet said leaving his door open as he ran towards the center of his living room, and waited for Walker to make himself at home.

"I gotta ask ya, but why me? Couldn't you find someone else better qualified to do something like this?" Walker asked.

"Yes, but they don't have that spark of emotional energy I've been looking for! You on the other hand have something. Your lack of interest for the most part judges everything with no positive, or negative driving your criticizing eyes" Comet began.

"That sounds rather stupid, and how would you know, I only just met you yesterday" Walker said.

"O-oh! Well I uh...that's not important, but what is important is your opinion on some things I want to ask you" Comet said.

"(This is getting creepy, better do this quick, and be done with it)" Walker thought. "What kind of things?" Walker asked.

"Oh just some likes, dislikes, actually started designing clothes. Figured they'd be the same as building a house, but with more lace" Comet said his fun happy tone slowly turning into an awkward drawl as Walker's scowl continues to grow.

"...I'm not some dress judge ya moron" Walker said.

"Actually I think the term is Fashionista" Comet corrected.

"I'm still getting paid right?" Walker asked.

"Of course!" Comet quickly answer his voice now returning to happy, and content.

"*Sigh* where do we start?" Walker groaned.

"Upstairs, I have it all set up, and-don't give me that look it's not what it looks like...although if you want it to-" Comet began.

"Let's just go already!" Walker impatiently demanded as he quickly ascended up the stairs with Comet following behind.

"Right-right! After you, there's only the one door, my bathroom is next to my bedroom" Comet explained.

"If you're such a master at building stuff why don't you make your house bigger?" Walker asked.

"Because it's already a hassle cleaning it up as it is, if I build anymore I'll just be asking for it" Comet said.

"I can see that, but won't hiring a Prinny solve that issue?" Walker asked.

"I like my privacy, and I like living alone. I may not look, and act it, but I'm an old demon I've done just about everything I can think of. Now I just want to be left by myself, and reflect on my past, and ride this life out a little while longer" Comet said.

"But you still have a job" Walker said.

"Well being old doesn't mean being rich, I still want to indulge in the pleasures of life, and so long as it requires HL, then I'll always require a job. I'm not one to save my earnings" Comet said.

Walker opened the bedroom door, and was met with an intense smell of scented candles. He quickly turned to Comet for an explanation.

"We both have our favorite smells you may not agree with mine, but I still enjoy it" Comet simply said.

Not an acceptable answer, but it seemed as if he won't be getting anything better he forced himself inside. On his far left he saw a long table at the edge of the wall slightly angled with several blueprints, of buildings, statues, and plazas. He also noticed several sketches of what appears to be dresses, shirts, suits, and blouses which meant Comet was actually telling the truth. Directly ahead of his was a long dark magenta curtain hiding a third of his room from view.

"My bed is beyond that curtain if you were curious" Comet said.

"Noted" Walker said.

Over on his right he saw the door leading to the main bathroom nothing else of interest. The floor was also made of the same marble as the floor on the first floor. On the center of the room stood a small round table with an assortment of delightful snacks, and drinks of tea, and juice, two chairs on opposite ends of the table were wooden, but the seats themselves were cushioned by a plush, red cushion. Comet quickly walked over to the table, and sat himself on the back end of the table that scrapped the curtain ever so slightly. Walker dragged his feet over to the only other seat available

"Help yourself to whatever is on the table, I got a wide selection so just take your pick at what you want, and please pick carefully" Comet said.

"Walker shrugged, and looked over the table's contents. Croissants, cupcakes, donuts, scones of several flavors lay strewn across the table. At last he picked up a croissant drenched in a red, sticky syrup.

"Oh? Do you have a thing for strawberry flavors, or maybe it's the croissant itself.

Walker took a bite before answering.

"Strawberry is okay, don't care about the...what'cha called it...this curly bread thing" Walker said.

"Just okay, well what's more than that for you?" Comet asked.

"Is this part of the job?" Walker asked.

"N-no no, just want to be...a good host to you, yeah that's it" Comet said.

"Well...I suppose apple would be better" Walker answered.

"Got it, gonna remember that" Comet assured.

"Please don't" Walker said.

"Fine, fine you want to get down to business right?" Comet asked.

"Yes, that would be best" Walker assured.

"So I have a couple of outfits already done, nothing permanent just experimenting on some different styles trying to see what really catches the demon's eye, and I know Gunner have that 'Evil Eye' thing I heard so much about. That's another reason I forgot to mention.

"Not a lot of people care we have such a skill, they just care if we shoot straight" Walker said.

"Well let's put it to the test shall we?" Comet challenged.

"Whenever you're ready" Walker accepted.

"Let's start with something easy, how do you feel about school uniforms?" Comet asked.

"I fail to see the easy in that" Walker said.

"Let me rephrase that, how do you feel about girls in school uniforms?" Comet asked.

"I don't care, but I'll admit I've never seen one since no school in the Netherworld will even allow such a thing" Walker said.

"Well if you've never seen one, then tell me your first thoughts on this first masterpiece?" Comet said present one of his creations by magically summoning it.

In a cloud of smoke a female mannequin appeared dressed in a white long sleeve with a blue ribbon tie on the collar with a plaid mini-skirt composed of blue, and dark blue stripes.

"Don't have the shoes to go with this just yet, but what do you think?" Comet asked.

"It's looks a little plain, but the color don't clash I guess" Walker awkwardly commented.

"Do you think this would look better on a girl with a little more curves, and a bigger bust, or perhaps someone younger looking?" Comet asked.

"I don't see how that makes any difference" Walker said.

"It does for the consumer, and whoever the consumer wants it to see. Come on, won't you find it arousing seeing it on girl you might know?" Comet asked.

"...Not entirely" Walker confessed.

"D-don't tell me you s-swing that way!" Comet squeaked.

"No! It's just that my whole life since I was born I had to put up with a lot of girls in my life. Mom, sister, annoying bitch of a friend, couple of temporary tutors, I'm just use to seeing girls that I could care less on their appearance. I'm running a business here, and I need talent, not looks" Walker detailed.

"I-I see...this is gonna be harder for her than I thought" Comet whispered.

"What did you say?" Walker asked.

"I-I said I really hate modern art!" Comet quickly said.

"Huh?" Was Walker's only response.

"B-because you know, from my quick trip to the human world, I saw modern art, and I wasn't impressed. It's all 'you're suppose to understand what the artist is trying to convey', but all I see is a broken toilet, or a bunch of broken hangers, or circles, and pipes glued together!" Comet quickly said.

"I think we're getting off topic here" Walker said.

"Of course well I have a couple of others let's see them shall we?" Comet asked.

"I'm ready" Walker said.

"For the next, who knows how long. Comet showed Walker various design of several styles from maid outfits to flight attendant uniforms, gowns, dresses, nurse uniforms, and several various casual wears. Comet would ask for color preference, skirt length, even sock length starting from the ankles to the thigh. Walker tried his best to answer, but only to shorten his stay as much as possible, only to be asked about preference in personality which Comet explained was for hiring assistants to help create with him. He was asked to give opinions on tomboys, bimbos, nerds, something about tsunderes, and every personality on the personality rainbow. At last they appeared to have come to whatever conclusion Comet was getting at.

"I think I got everything I need" Comet said.

"Wait a second, all this time I described, and looked at girl clothes, and girl types. Aren't you gonna ask me about guy stuff like shirts, pants, or jackets, or something?" Walker asked.

"As much as I would love to have a man, to man talk with you about men. I'm afraid I won't be needing you for that, unless you're free next week" Comet said.

"On second thought never mind" Walker said.

"Well then let's forget you ever asked that, and I'll set you free" Comet said.

"Wait, you mean I'm done here?" Walker asked.

"Pretty much, as I've said, I got everything I need" Comet said.

"Then I'll be leaving, with my pay of course" Walker said.

"Of course" Comet said brandishing a sack out of nowhere, and throwing it at Walker who instinctively caught it.

"There's some weight on this sack, that's generous considering I just answered stuff" Walker said.

"Well it was very important to me" Comet said.

"I can only guess it was, well if I'm done here, I'll be seeing ya later" Walker said walking towards the exit.

"Remember I'm the only one to look up if you need more for your building needs!" Comet said.

"Can do" Walker said closing the door behind him, and leaving the building.

Comet waited until he heard his front door slam shut, then he magic-ed? A mirror on the right side of his wall which oddly enough showed the front side of his house, and saw Walker walking away from his building.

"You have everything you need?" Comet asked out of nowhere.

"And more~" a young, sultry voice spoke from behind the curtain.

As if on cue on some badly written fic the curtains suddenly open themselves up for no apparent reason only to reveal the owner of the voice being that of an Empusa laying on her side her legs gently kicking the air, and bed, her left hand holding her cheek while her right hand was resting on her thigh moving ever so slightly.

"How are you coming along with penetrating into people's dreams?" Comet asked.

"Hm~" the Empusa moaned with a hint of distaste.

"I take it you need work, that's fine, you've been a Lady Fighter your whole life it's only natural that you can't get it to work on your first day" Comet said.

"It's hard sure, but that Walker...*sigh* this is gonna take even longer than I thought" the Empusa sighed as she switched positions from laying on her side to laying on her chest, her legs bent upwards to her knees as she began slowly kicking at the air, her hips, and waist slightly raised from the bed to purposely bring attention to 'that' area of her body

"Well you got posing already taken care of" Comet assured.

"Yeah, but it came naturally" the Empusa said.

"Well let's keep practicing, I'll get my sleeping pills" Comet said.

"I've been thinking, maybe it's time for a name change. You know for the new me" the Empusa said.

"Got anything in mind?" Comet asked.

"Nothing at the moment, but I'll get back to you. Now I believe my body is ready for another round" the Empusa said.

"Yes well next time don't turn into...well what you transformed last time" Comet said.

"Honestly why is it so hard to morph my body in dreams, I wish that part came naturally too!" The Empusa whined.

_Mission Accomplished_

Delta Team

After a re-briefing on their assignment the three teams all successfully infiltrated a rented out stadium where Axel will be performing his latest concerts. The saboteurs were high above the stage where most of the electrical devices were set, as well as an easy access ladder taking them directly towards the sound system. The two commando teams were on the ground floor backstage on opposite ends of the building, and staying well hidden until their signal tells them otherwise.

Hiding by the side of the building on the darkest corners to remain hidden from the two Warrior classes guarding the backstage door.

"Hey if we're going to be a team, who's going to be team leader?" Nina suddenly whispered.

"As a master strategist it should be very apparent that I should be the leader" the Red Skull said.

"We don't even know your name" Aegis muttered.

"His name is Norman" the Green Mage introduced.

"Thank you Julie" the Red Mage known as Norman sarcastically remarked.

"You bad pack leader, lost fight, they told Peach Basket" Peach Basket loudly whispered.

"That was a fluke, an error, and nothing more-fine then besides it's not like any of you would be able to memorize my battle tactics in less than a minute" Norman hissed.

"It's okay, you'll always be my leader Norman" Julie said.

Norman fell silent from Julie's compliment, and silently thanking the shadows for hiding his redden cheeks.

"Lucky guy to snag a girl like that" Megas whispered loudly.

"W-wait you don't care that me, and her are-" Norman began when suddenly a loud school bell rang from the P.A speakers invisible to the naked eye.

"Attention students, a reminder from the overly worked consume clinics in the Netherworld telling you all to not only watch your back, but your 'sides' as well" Usagi's voice sprang from the speakers, the word 'sides' emphasized greatly.

"That's our cue, let's get this done" Nina said.

Norman used his magic to spark a small firecracker located on the opposite side of their locations, the loud crackle, and snapping from the firecracker quickly drew the guards attention, and the loud whistle it produced shrouded the loud heavy steps from Megas, and Aegis as they charged at the Warriors, and slamming them to the walls knocking them out cold.

"Remember if we can knock them out before they shout 'battle start' then we can avoid those long turn based fights" Norman said.

Peach Basket muttered something under her breathe, and suddenly the lock on the door broke, and the door opened.

"Curse of lock breaking, momma's gift" Peach Basket said.

"Walker is gonna be pissed when you do that at his place" Megas said as the group charged in.

Sigma Team

"Are you sure we need all this extra equipment?" Elfie asked.

"Yeah, how is this...what did you call it?" Milky asked.

"It's called a 'hookshot" the Serpent explained.

"Right, how is this going to help us swim to the entrance?" Milky asked.

"It's not for swimming, but you'll need it all the same" the Serpent said.

"And do we really have to wear these tight scuba suits? It looks like I'm wearing nothing at all" Sasha asked demonstrating.

"Fine you can hold on the scuba suits, but the hookshot is a must" the Serpent assured.

"And these boots you gave each of us?" Milky said.

"Made from iron they'll sink you guys like a stone" the Serpent said.

"Such a contraption is the opposite of what is required for diving" Sophie said.

"Plus why do they have to be high heels?" Elfie wondered.

"Thought they'd look good on you, but I can give ya the normal ones if that's your only complaint. Also you would be surprised at how much you can do when you can walk on water" the Serpent said.

"I think we heard enough, anything else before we go out" Milky asked.

"Got a couple of other stuff that may, or may not help you, but that's for you to discover" the Serpent said.

"An ocarina?" Lloyd asked.

"That's for you to discover" the Serpent repeated.

After purchasing the necessary equipment from the Serpent vendor they ventured under the lake, their breathing mechanisms of sorts working just as they were suppose to. Under the lake they saw a glint of some kind of jewel resting on top of what looked like a stone column resting on high rising patch of land which made up the island. Sasha instantly went for it, but after a brief struggle the jewel would not budge, in a fit of anger nearly resembling Walker's she brought her gun, and shot the thing discovering two things. One that her gun somehow still works underwater, and second upon hitting the jewel it glowed yellow, and the stone column suddenly lifted itself revealing a secret entrance the Serpent failed to mention. Taking it as the sign to move forward they swam through it. After a while of swimming on the rectangle stone cave they saw came upon a dead end, but upon looking up they saw a the demon made cave traveling upwards to a surface. After swimming towards it, and climbing out of the pool of water the team sloshed their way to the edge, and saw just what they had to deal with.

"It appears as if this room has three levels of floors while we're at the top most" Sophie noticed glancing down at edge of the water.

"How does all of this look like a bakery?" Milky wondered.

"Ya got me there, but would ya look at that, it's all flooded here too, now how in tarnation are we gonna find a legendary cupcake in this mess?" Sasha asked.

"Would the cupcake even survive in a damp, flooded environment? Who's to say it was, quite literally washed up?" Lloyd said.

"Aw that's just stinking thinking they wouldn't leave something like that anywhere. We just gotta find the back room of this cluster of a bakery" Sasha said.

"So where do we start?" Milky asked.

"I believe it is best to begin our trek from the bottom, and work our way up. Perhaps something of interest could be found" Sophie suggested.

"Alright let's find that legendary cupcake" Elfie said.

_End of Chapter_

_Had to dust off my old Nintendo 64, and Ocarina of Time to get this one just right. Also had to take some time planning out the next several chapters so I can start submitting these faster, and faster. I have several bullet points on what will happen, and when, but I'm always open to any ideas, and suggestions as well as mission you guys may have. Thanks for the reviews, support, and especially your patience._


	28. Chapter 28

_Chapter 28: A Mad Dash For Cash_

_Okay this is the last time I rhyme a title...maybe_

_Berry Melon: Cwan I twalk all chibified like dwis pwetty pwease?_

_No, no one will be able to understand you even if it does make you sound much cuter. Enjoy_

Sigma Team: Lloyd, Milky, Sophie, Sasha, and Elfie

The descent to the lowest level was surprisingly long even with the Iron Boots the team was equipped with, once they descended to the sand floor they spotted a locked door in front of them. Milky however was focused on a hallway on their right side. She motioned the group to follow her which the team agreed they should explore first. After a brief struggle trying to walk underwater they got the hang of it, and stomped their way through it. Upon passing through the sharp, and possible pointless turns the hallway gave them they saw barred off door, and a wooden pedestal at the center. They also say several clay jars on the corners. Sophie neared the closed off door, but found nothing in her personal tool kit that can break the bars...at least underwater they can't, but one casual glance upwards revealed another path upwards. The group then removed their boots ignoring the fact that despite still holding the iron boots that should still weight them down, yet now they are ascending...it's better to just not think about it too hard. After passing a wall with a severely large crack thereby rendering it vulnerable to possible destructive methods the group surfaced, and found a small room with the first accessible door they could reach.

"I get the feeling we won't be dry for quite a while" Elfie said.

"At least it's warm here" Milky said.

"Humid would be the correct term" Sophie corrected.

"Wouldn't it be a real treat if the treasure were just on the other side of the door?" Sasha said.

"We all know life is much harder, and crueler than that" Lloyd muttered.

"Wait! What is that strange symbol on the wall" Milky pointed towards the right side of the wall.

She mentioned a square indentation with a tri-force embedded in the wall

"A triforce, nothing out of the ordinary, but rather pointless place for it in my professional opinion...however upon closer inspection there does seem to be a form of writing below the symbol" Sophie stated.

"Can ya read it?" Sophie asked.

"Yes, yes I can, it reads 'those who wish to open the path sleeping at the bottom of the lake must play the song passed down by the royal family'" Sophie read.

"Well it's obvious what we need to do" Elfie said.

"It is?" Milky asked.

"Yes, skip that, and look inside what's beyond that door" Elfie said.

"It will require some time to decipher the passage's meaning" Sophie said.

"Guess we'll cross that bridge when we get there" Sasha agreed.

Upon opening the door they were greeted by some very strange metal balls lounging about.

"Now them right there are biggest pearls I'd ever lay eyes on!" Sasha squealed with glee.

"I don't think they-" Elfie began.

Suddenly as if triggered by some invisible trip wire the four metal balls in the room suddenly jumped, and sprouted thick needles everywhere turning them into living morning stars. The girls, and Lloyd were quick to act with Sasha, Milky, and Sophie shooting at the targets repeatedly while Lloyd pushed the spiked balls away with walls of ice. After shooting them once the balls suddenly turned rust, and after a second shot they blew up entirely. Oddly enough they left behind several items despite not having pockets to carry said items.

"Check it out girls I got us this shiny green ruby thing. Maybe we won't have to depend on the overlord after all!" Sophie said lifting the green currency high above her head in triumph.

"I got an arrow...why was this thing carrying an arrow...how was it carrying an arrow? I'm so confused" Milky said.

"I've unearthed several bombs...delightful, yet odd" Sophie said.

"Ew~ there's a weird heart thing over there where the ball died" Elfie pointed out.

"I doesn't not resemble any heart a living being should have, and it certainly doesn't have that cold, empty feeling my heart gives off everyday" Lloyd said.

"W-what should we do with it?" Elfie asked.

"We must exhaust all scientific experiments, and ingenuity to discover it's traits, and complexities" Sophie said.

"Let's poke it with a stick!" Milky declared.

"Or we can do that too" Sophie said.

Before any scientific stick poking can be done the little heart blinked out of existence before their very eyes.

"...This never happened" Sasha said.

Everyone nodded at that, and before they can recover from the oddness of vanishing hearts something just as unexpected started happening at the center of the room. A long strand of glitter circled, and coiled itself around, and around, and suddenly a wooden treasure chest faded into reality.

"I'm too sober for this" Sasha realized.

"You're starting to sound like Megas" Milky said.

"Yeah, but hey treasure chest! I'm not treasure hunter, but it'll do" Sasha said moving towards the wooden chest of treasury delight.

"Hold it! I'm actually am a treasure hunter so I get first dibs on whatever is inside!" Milky said.

"If it's the cupcake you can't have it" Elfie said.

"Fair enough" Milky said.

"Just open the stupid thing" Sasha said suddenly finding the treasure chest uninteresting.

Upon opening the chest the contents were suddenly bathed in a blinding golden light, causing everyone to stand back from the shiny box.

"It's gold, gold, gold! We're rich girls!...And Lloyd!" Sasha squealed.

Unable to adjust her eyes to the shine Milky put her goggles on for the first time since...ever, and searched it's contents only to come up with a single parchment.

"...Stop joking around, and pull up the gold" Sasha impatiently demanded.

"There isn't any, see for yourself" Milky gestured at the open chest.

Everyone peered inside now that the golden glow suddenly vanished, and sure enough the chest was empty. Milky took this time to unravel the parchment to read it's contents.

"Hey check it out! It's a map of this entire place!" Milky excitedly declared.

"Maybe the paper is made out of gold" Sasha figured.

"There's no gold in this area, come back to reality" Sophie said.

"But then why in the grand world of the Netherworld was the treasure all shiny on the inside?" Sasha wondered.

"Mag-" Elfie began.

"Don't you finish that word" Sasha warned.

"...-ic" Elfie finished.

"*Sigh* I gotta calm down..." Sasha sighed.

"Well there's a pool of water we'll have to go down into that could help with that" Milky suggested.

"I was thinking getting smashed on apple cider, but swimming will have to do" Sasha said.

Upon leaving the death trap of a room the group found themselves once again facing the tri-force on the wall.

"It's obvious it wants us to play something" Milky said.

"Where's Peachy when you need her" Elfie said.

"You don't suppose this note the boat salesman might have something to do with that riddle do ya?" Sasha wondered.

Sophie shuffled through her inventory looking though all the items the salesman gave them for their journey, one unmentioned item happened to be a parchment with musical notes with only a single short song.

"I believe it may refer to this" Sophie said pulling out the parchment.

"Great...can anyone play this with an ocarina?" Elfie asked.

"I haven't even stole an ocarina let alone play one" Milky said.

"...I could try" Lloyd suddenly volunteered

Pressing the hole to his lips he-

"Wrong hole" Elfie corrected.

"...Right" Lloyd muttered.

After placing his lips on the correct hole he looked at the note-sheet, and attempted to play the song written.

"...It kind of sounds like two cats fighting" Milky commented.

"Maybe he needs to tune it?" Sasha asked.

"You can't tune an ocarina" Sophie corrected

"And now Lloyd is slumped in the corner in a state of depression, nice job gals" Sasha said.

This time Milky attempted to play the ocarina.

"Better, but you're a little slow switching between notes" Elfie said.

"Well it's not like playing the ocarina was in the job description when I became a Thief" Milky said.

"Did you learn to play anything you stole?" Sasha asked.

"W-well...I can play the drums...a little" Milky confessed blushing slightly.

It was now Sasha's turn to give it a shot.

"...Where's that darn ocarina" Sasha grunted as she felt around her pockets for the darn ocarina.

"Sorry, sometimes my hands just slip" Milky apologized as she handed Sasha her ocarina.

"Right...well here goes!" Sasha warned.

A slow drawl was heard escaping from the ocarina, the tune was low, long, then suddenly speed up in tempo for a brief second before once again returning to a slow drawl.

"Well that's very western-y, but you're not playing the song the sigil was requesting" Sophie stated.

"Can't help it, just the way I've been raised. I'm no good here, one of you gals give it a whirl" Sasha said.

This time it was Elfie's turn.

She played a soft toot to get her bearings, then played the desired song with relatively no errors, when she was done her eyes were lidded, and a soft yawn was heard, the rest of the group also felt a sense of weariness they had not felt before. Just as quickly as it appeared however the weariness ended as a loud draining sound could be heard, and turning to the water pit below they could see the water rapidly descending, and

"T-that was something" Milky squeaked.

"Regardless, I am satisfied with the results, as well as the fact that I will not have to humiliate myself by playing the ocarina" Sophie said.

"Will this be easier, or harder?" Sasha wondered.

"Either way we must accomplish this" Sophie said.

Picking up Lloyd who was still recovering from a sudden burst of depression the girls jumped two floors down to the bottom level. The girls and Lloyd landed around a lit torch sitting on a thick slab of wood.

"That's funny, these two torches beside the door aren't lit...maybe we should fix that" Elfie said.

"Since when did you become a pyromaniac?" Sasha asked.

"It's calling to me, calling to light the room-" Elfie began

"I wouldn't exactly call this a room you know" Sasha interrupted.

"I can sympathize with Elfie, the urge to do recklessly violent, and seemingly pointless experiments is strong, and it must be sated" Sophie said.

"Fine, do it already so we can move on" Sasha impatiently allowed.

Elfie went to the far left corner of the room then equipped her bow, and arrows. She aimed at the fire on the thick wooden torch, but also held onto a second target as well. With her bow string stretched to it's limits, and her arrow sharp, and straight, she fired true. Her arrow swooshed through the flames catching fire, then went onwards...missing it's target completely.

"Oh poo~...let me try again" Elfie said.

"Or, you can just light your arrow on fire-by hand, and walk towards the torches yourself" Milky said.

"I-I know I can do this, I have an adequate skill in the bow so this should be within my boundaries" Elfie assured.

Several attempts later, and Elfie joined Lloyd in the corner of shame, and self disappointment. Sophie took her turn, and mixed a quick chemical brew using her portable chemical kit to make a small dose of nitroglycerin igniting both torches.

"Cheer up Elfie, it's a cheap trick shot anyways" Milky attempted to cheer up.

"*Hic-sob* Y-you mean I couldn't even pull a 'cheap' trick shot! *Waaa~*" Elfie cried even harder.

"Hey at least we got the torches lit eventually, and that suddenly caused the metal bars on that door to disappear, we can look around inside now, and steal stuff." Sasha said.

"B-but that's only because Sophie did it, I wanted to~" Elfie whined.

"Looks like we're gonna have to put our mission on hold for a while until Elfie cheers up" Milky said.

"Agreed, I cannot work under these conditions" Sophie said.

"W-wait a second you all stopped working when Elfie is depressed, and yet I am constantly depressed, and you go on anyways! Life is so cruel" Lloyd groaned.

"This is the first I hear ya complaining about it" Sasha said.

"You haven't met me long" Lloyd said.

"Neither of us have, we've been in this group what less than a month ago?" Milky said.

"This door holds interest to me, perhaps we should look inside for a closer examination?" Sophie suggested.

"R-right the door, let's go through everyone!" Sasha called out.

"I find it strange that these doors have no handle..." Elfie said.

The door quickly slid upwards allowing passage, and the group went inside. They found a large room very similar to the room holding the map, and the similarities don't stop there. Three enemies awaited them, and once again they were not the usual monster class. However there were several things strange about the room, for starters the monsters were large clams rather than metal balls, and a ragged looking demon was spotted to their left in the corner staring at the newcomers with mixed emotions of surprise, and relief.

"Oh thank the overlord a rescue party, quick get me out of here before the-" the demon began.

Suddenly the door slid shut behind them.

"No~" the demon moaned in despair.

"W-who, what are you?" Milky asked.

"W-well since I'm gonna die here, might as well introduce myself...my name is Alto, and I could ask you guys the same question. I've never seen any of your type in this Netherworld" the boy Alto said.

"We're from another Netherworld, all of us, I'm a Healer, a much better looking one if I do say so myself" Elfie said.

"W-well you do look more...curvy, I guess" Alto said.

"I'm a Gunslinger, ya know, the cowgirl of the wild west, emphasis on 'cow'" Sasha said leaning down on Alto ever so slightly to bring attention to her chest.

"Y-yeah I can see that, o-okay" Alto stuttered nervously as his cheeks flushed red.

"I'm a Professor, ignoring the size of my mammary glands, I specialize in boosting the strengths of allies with the power of science" Sophie explained.

"Doctor type eh? Got it" Alto said.

"So you too see death's door close at hand?" Lloyd said.

"No way~ are you a Blue Skull? I always wondered how they looked without the hoods...was expecting something a lot more threatening looking, or gruesome to be honest" Alto said.

"Hm~ I'm guessing since I haven't seen any around here, you wouldn't know what I am either. I'm a Thief class!" Milky declared.

"Y-you're a thief!? T-that's weird, since I'm a Thief Class too!" Alto declared.

"B-but you don't look anything like me" Milky said.

"I was gonna say the same to you" Alto said.

"C-can I do something really quickly?" Milky asked suddenly getting nervous.

"H-huh? Okay, sure..." Alto reluctantly allowed.

Milky walked over to Alto who just stood up as well, they locked eyes with each other, and just stared taking one another in. Then Milky outstretched her hands, and arms forward, and clutched at Alto's chest, then squeezed ever so slightly. Milky squeaked in surprise, and pulled her hands away as well as herself, Alto's hands were also close to doing the same to Milky, but half way through he stopped himself, and realized quite possibly at the same moment as Milky.

"Y-you're a girl!" Alto realized, blushing once again.

"Y-you're a boy!" Milky realized at the same time.

"Well ain't that just a kick in the rear, I've been wondering about why you types don't have a boy partner like me, and Walker" Sasha said.

"S-so in other Netherworlds the Thieves are all girls..." Alto muttered.

Milky was soon growing a grin which turned into a very satisfied smile.

"Isn't this interesting" Elfie said.

"At last...he's the one! He could finally be my proof to prove to Walker once, and for all, that I am indeed a girl!" Milky squealed.

"Am I missing something here?" Sophie wondered.

"It's a very interesting story, we'll explain it all soon" Eflie assured.

"Okay that's it, you're coming with us!" Milky said.

"I-uh...don't want to?" Alto said.

"Yeah, because following a bunch of babes like us is much worse than staying here with those...giant oysters?" Sasha said glancing at the enemies they had been ignoring the whole time.

"Maybe they're clams?" Milky wondered.

"It doesn't matter what they are, you get close to them, and they lash out, I tried shooting them, but those shells are thick enough to block bullets" Alto said.

"If we deal with those things will you go with us to our guild?" Milky asked.

"Even if you did I wouldn't want to-" Alto was saying.

"Alright! Then prepare to join our group!" Milky declared.

"She really has something to prove, even to the point of forcing someone to her plan to do it" Elfie said.

"Reminds me of myself when I was younger, and getting the hang of physics, and chemistry, it's only going to get worse from here on out" Sophie said

"And to think all of this could have been avoided if Milky just flashed her goodies at Walker from the beginning" Elfie said.

"...Those clams are jumping towards us..." Lloyd muttered.

"Perhaps a countermeasure should be implemented?" Sophie suggested.

"Shoot them like Walker shoots a barn door, only actually hit them!" Sasha half mocked, half ordered.

Meanwhile...

"...Huh, I have the sudden urge to beat Sasha relentlessly...strange" Walker grumbled

Delta Team: Aegis, Nina, Peach Basket, and Megas (with: Red Mage Norman, and Green Mage Julie)

They ran as far into the hall as they could, further ahead they could see a split in the path, one side going left, and another going straight.

"We were briefed by this, our route is to take the left path" Norman pointed out.

"While the second team clears the other hallway" Aegis remembered.

"Over there! I heard more coming through here!" A voice shouted further away.

Suddenly from a door on the left side of the straight path came a Green Skull, and Ranger, from a door to the right side from the path cutting sharply to the left was a Gunner, and a Rouge Thief.

"Quick before they-" Nina exclaimed

"Battle start!" shouted the Gunner in a thick southern drawl.

The atmosphere of the room suddenly turned into a thick blue hue before disappearing taking in it's place a pixelated floor of squares.

"Too late..." Aegis grumbled.

Aegis, and his team were lined up in two rows of three besides each other. Megas, and Aegis were on the front, behind them were Nina, and Peach Basket, and behind them were Norman, and Julie.

The Green Skull, and Ranger were standing side by side, three square blocks away while the Gunner, and Rouge were at a safer five squares away.

"Too make matters worse they get to go first" Nolan muttered.

"Ooah! We pack go first!" Peach Basket said.

"Don't you know? Whoever calls out Battle Start usually gets the first turn, I heard there are exceptions, but I haven't seen them.

"What if they say at the same time?" Nina asked.

"Then it's random" Julie answered.

"I see, luck of the draw" Aegis grumbled.

"Sounds like something Walker would say" Nina figured.

Before anyone of them could keep talking the Ranger shot a bow, and struck Aegis, quickly following that the Green Mage muttered something under his breath, and a sharp gust of wind around Aegis scraped, and damaged him further dropping his health by one fourth, still a lot more to go. The Gunner, and the Rouge were still a ways off, and were also on the defensive, suddenly their turn ended, and now Aegis' team were up to bat.

"They already have the advantage..." Nolan said.

"Their ranged attacks will pelt us to no end, the hallway is too thin to branch out as well, we can hit them hard, or split up, but we're gonna get a beating before we get near them" Aegis said.

"Precisely...which is why we have to use option b" Nolan said.

"You have a plan?" Nina asked.

"He always has a plan" Julie complimented.

"W-well, it's true, It's what a leader should always be known for" Norman awkwardly spoke his face suddenly growing warmer.

"Can you tell us about the plan lover boy?" Megas half teased.

"I-if you're done with your childish nick name I will explain what we should do" Norman said.

"Tell Peach Basket! Do maybe, maybe not!" Peach Basket said.

"We will throw you as far as we can towards the enemies in front of us, and let you do all the fighting" Nolan explained.

"Oh no you don't! I'm gonna bash someone skull in, it's been too long!" Nina said her anger suddenly spiking.

"If you want to get involved in a suicide mission be my guest" Nolan said.

"Are you kidding me? They're my favorite type of missions!" Nina exclaimed.

"That girl is one hot tamale! Let's do this!" Megas exclaimed.

"Well if all of you insist...Witch doctor, throw the Heavy Knight forward, then sidestep on square to the right so that I may throw the...Brawler forward as well, Julie will then move on square forward so that she may throw the Wood Golem as well, who you three decide to attack I'll leave to you" Nolan said.

"We have names you know" Aegis said.

"Too much battle strategies in my head to fit names into" Norman said.

"So I guess Julie is an exception right?" Aegis said.

"Right, now let us begin" Norman said.

Peach Basket grabbed Aegis, and held him high above her head...it helps if you don't think about it too much. She then threw Aegis several squares, but enough to send him face to face with the Ranger. As Peach Basket moved one square to the right like she's suppose to, Norman took her square, and grabbed hold of Nina, throwing her just behind Aegis where she then moved herself next to him on his left side, and right in front of the Green Mage who felt a tinge of fear from the menacing glare of Nina's furious face. Julie also did her best to throw Megas, but only managed two squares seeing as how Nina was taking the extra third space, this didn't deter Megas in the bit, and he stomped his way towards the Gunner, and Rouge, with only two squares away from being able to pummel them.

"So who's smacking who first?" Nina asked, gripping her axe a little tighter.

"Hmm~ Megas can you cancel your move, and stand behind me, I want to try something" Aegis asked.

"Uh...I don't swing that way bro" Megas awkwardly replied.

"Couldn't resist could you?" Aegis asked with a deadpan stare.

"Hehe~ yeah~" Megas nonchalantly replied before doing what he was told.

"Alright, Nina you get first dibs, then I'll attack normally...hopefully we've known each other long enough for this to work" Aegis said.

It took a moment for Nina to realize what Aegis had planned, but had a sly grin when she finally guessed it.

"It's been a while...End the turn damn it, let's do this!" Nina exclaimed.

"End turn!" Aegis declared.

"You're gonna be feeling this one tomorrow! Seesaw Axe!" Nina shouted.

Her rather...unique special brought in the damage to the poor Green Mage knocking her out for the count with zero, but just barely.

"This guild has to mean something more than just some easy HL, let's prove that now!" Aegis said as he begun his attack.

Almost on instinct Megas, Nina, and Aegis glanced at each other, for only a brief second before a burst of bright red orange energy erupted around them. At that moment it felt like their minds have become one, to know what the other is planning, and in that brief moment they had an idea on how to attack. One by one in rapid succession they jumped on the Ranger's head, using it as a spring to leap themselves high above him. Defying the laws of gravity (which is common in the Netherworld) they hovered in a triangle shape around him. Then they suddenly generated beams of light which intertwined with each other, and towards the Ranger creating a cone shape. Step three apparently was to spin rapidly in a clockwise fashion acting as a living drill, faster, and faster they went until for reasons unknown the spinning cone began to shrink in size until everything ended whent they joined to a single point with a loud 'boom', and the three retreated to they previous squares. The Ranger suffering the combined attacks of three enemies was quickly vanquished, but the fight was far from over.

"T-that was a first for me..." Nina confessed.

"Didn't think we were that close to each other for that to work..." Aegis said.

"Just a bunch of bros now" Megas said.

They heard a shout a shout coming from the enemies side, and Aegis was blasted with a simple wind spell. To add to that the Rouge, and the Gunner each performed a Gunman Spirit skill...this did not end well for Aegis. The combination of three attacks plus the critical the Rouge landed on him has dropped his health to zero despite his bulking armor, his friends could do nothing to stop the inevitable.

"F-finish this, don't let my death be in vain-*dead*" was all Aegis could utter before he was sent away to the afterlife for the moment at least.

"Count on it!" Nina shouted her eyes a light, and blazing...well in her imagination they are.

Now it's the guild's turn to move...

"Guess it's time to go all out" Megas said cracking his knuckles...which might actually be more unhealthy considering he is cracking wood.

"My rage...they will feel all of my rage" Nina growled.

"We will never achieve victory with blind rage" Norman stated.

"I beg to differ, I'm still alive aren't I?" Nina said.

"Yeah~ just gonna ignore the fact that you died on us that one time" Megas murmured.

Nina stared daggers at Megas.

"So here's what we will do...Megas if I have your name right, you shall move towards the left hall with the Brawler Nina, act as a barrier so as they cannot move towards us, if you haven't noticed we aren't meant for close encounters" Norman said.

"Cowards" Nina grunted.

"I prefer the term tactician" Norman said.

"Ooah! Send me up, me want to curse! Curse, curse!" Peach Basket exclaimed.

"Hm~ well that hallway can fit three people placed side by side...sure go into the side, Megas shall take the middle, and Nina will move to the other side" Norman instructed.

"Yeah, I am so into the idea of being your monster shield" Megas remarked sarcastically.

"Oh, I'm sorry, didn't know you were so soft, I suppose it makes sense, steel is stronger than wood, strategically it may be best if I kept you away, and safe from the-" Norman began.

"Alright, alright, I'm going" Megas declared.

"And don't forget to switch to defense so you won't take as much damage!" Norman reminded.

"Geez dude, lighten up we know what we're doing" Megas assured.

"Sometimes I wonder that..." Norman muttered.

"It's fine Normy they know what they're doing" Julie.

Norman whole body twitched, slowly turning from his smiling girlfriend over to Nina, and the gang already in the form of a line he saw three grins, and leering eyes.

"S-shut up" Norman said before anyone could say anything.

"Whatever you say..." Megas began.

"Normy~!" Peach Basket, Nina, and Megas shouted.

"End turn, end turn!" Norman quickly said

The Rouge, and Gunner moved several squares until they ended up in front of Nina, the Gunner three squares away, and the Rouge four squares. Both of them perform Gunman Spirit, but the Brawler from another Netherworld persevered, and had one fourth of her health left to show for it.

"Come on-*huff-puff*-was that all ya got ya bastards?" Nina challenged.

"You uh~ gonna be okay?" Megas asked.

"Angry lady beaten badly, Peach Basket curse no help...too bad" Peach Basket supported.

"Keep that smirk while you can you Gunner bitch, I'm gonna wipe it clean off the Netherworld!" Nina growled

"I think maybe you oughta tell Nina to attack the Gunner, she's gonna do it either way" Megas said.

"Very well, Nina attack from the front, Megas attack from the side, and Sorcerer, you shall use that spear's range to attack from the bottom left, or diagonally" Norman instructed.

Nina flashed another evil grin as they moved into position.

"Yes, I believe that would work just fine, execute!" Norman declared.

"Seesaw axe!" Nina started things off.

Her special took a good chunk of the Gunner's health, then it was Megas' turn to attack hammering down his fist on the Gunner to finish him off, which left Peach Basket with nothing to do.

"Ooah! Gunner past on, Peach Basket no poke poke, me want to fight!" Peach Basket complained.

"Hm~ can you reach the Rouge with one of your status ailments?" Norman asked.

"Ooah!" Peach Basket shouted in approval.

"O-okay I believe that means yes...well then, hm~ reduce her hit stats, can you do that?" Norman asked.

"Blind bad guy, Peach Basket can, make people miss, yes!" Peach Basket assured.

"Good, do it, it might be a long-shot, but it could save us a soldier, or two...End turn!" Norman declared.

"Blind, foggy eyes, I see you, you not see me~" Peach Basket murmured

A scope shrouded the Rouge then shattered to pieces, the next thing she knew she found her eyesight to be thoroughly lacking. As it was her turn she performed Gunman Spirit once again, but despite seeing Nina juggle mid air by her shots, they all missed, and now it was their turn to strike.

"Peach Basket...man I wish you were with me in my Netherworld!" Nina praised.

Peach Basket gave her a toothy grin which appeared to have taken up most of her face. At this point their victory was certain, the Rouge was punished with three consecutive attacks from Nina, Megas, and Peach Basket.

"Mine, mine, mine!" Peach Basket shouted as she swiped the goodie bag that appeared after their vicotry.

Looking in the bag the group saw several trinkets as well as a couple hundred HL.

"Psycho orb, and an imperial seal, not bad" Nina gestured.

"We'll just be taking that now" Megas said.

"H-hey this was a team effort, where's my share?" Norman asked.

"We should keep moving, and keep this area clear of enemies" Nina said suddenly taking charge.

"Hey, don't ignore!" Norman exclaimed.

"It's okay, I'm still here" Julie assured.

"...Let's do what the Brawler said..." Norman agreed.

They took the left path, continuing their given task, but found next to no resistance...

"Odd, we have yet to encounter anyone else in this hallway..." Norman realized.

"Damn, ain't that just a darn shame, I was so looking forward to giving another sensless ass beating to someone else" Nina grumbled.

"Isn't there any other way to quench your burst of adrenaline?" Norman wondered.

"Well I could do what you, and that Julie do when you're alone together-" Nina smirked.

"W-what we do when no one is a-around is none of your b-business!" Norman stuttered loudly.

Julie was too busy blushing profusely, and moving back, and forth averting everyone's staring.

"Ooah! Peach Basket smell...hair spray! Ew~ lots, and lots, stabbing nose, bad smell!" Peach Basket explained.

"We must be getting close to the star of the show, the description did say he had spiky hair" Megas reminded.

"Which would explain the stench of hair spray hanging in the air" Norman agreed.

"Um~ I think we're here..." Nina pointed out.

Just a few feet away to their left they saw an overly decorated door laden with gold streaks, and marble frame. A large golden star with the name Axel in bold metalic purple.

"Well isn't he the definition of modesty" Norman sarcastically commented.

"We can sell his door for more than we're getting paid to do this" Megas figured.

"Wait, before we jump to any action we must think about this. Sure we've spent all day insulting him, but he is still an original demon, and besides looking completely different than the rest of us, they are also known to be very powerful" Norman explained.

"Damn it, you're right, even with all of us here it may not be enough" Nina realized.

"What can we do, we can't just bail" Megas said.

"Curse of Walter's nagging...Peach Basket not want curse" Peach Basket said.

"She's right, it would be a pain to go through his whining after coming this far" Nina said.

"Maybe we won't have to do anything after all" Megas said pointing a large finger forward.

Looking ahead they could see Plenair walking as usual with an air of nonchalance, carrying Usagi with her as well. They stopped just beside the door, and looked at the guild, Norman, and Julie.

"Good work getting this far, but you're job is done here, the rest of the group had just finished their told assignments, and are retreating, we'll take it from here" Usagi assured.

"W-wow, really? Not that much of a mission" Nina figured.

"True, but I invite you all to listen in on what we're going to do to Axel right about now if you stay behind" Usagi said.

"Do we want to?" Norman wondered.

"To an extent I'm sure, and with that, catch ya later" Usagi said.

Before the guild could say anymore, Pleinair, and Usagi had turned towards Axel's dressing room door, turning the knob, not being surprised that it was unlocked, and made their way inside.

"Ah~ finally you've accepted my once in a lifetime offer!" A very charismatic voice bellowed.

"So...we're just gonna stand here?" Nina asked.

"W-wait, what are you gonna do with 'that'!" The male voice shouted, his toned suddenly shifted from charisma to fear.

Loud smacks were heard, followed by a loud 'crunch'...

"Ah~! S-stop! Not there I need that organ-ow!" The male howled.

"I guess she just wanted us to clear the room to get to him faster..." Norman realized.

"W-wait, is that my kidney? It is! My precious kidney-ow!" The male continued to shout.

"S-scary~!" Peach Basket moaned.

"W-what are you doing with that...No! Not my jimmies! P-please don't rustle my jimmies!" The voice pleaded.

*Rustle*

"Noo~ my jimmies!" The voice shouted.

"She's a sadist..." Nina muttered.

A loud hacking was heard, and suddenly all was quiet...

"L-let's get out of here before the door opens!" Julie cried out.

"Agreed! Retreat!" Norman called out.

The guild, Norman, and Julie ran, they ran as fast as they could as far as their feet could take them, and when they couldn't run anymore they ran even faster. A promise was made that day, a pact between them to never discuss what they heard on that faithful moment. An hour has past, and they had returned to the faculty room, and entered the board room where they objective was given to them, the two previous team were already paid, and had left leaving only them alone with Pleinair, and Usagi.

"First off I want to congratulate all of you on a job well done, there was not a single guard to impede our process" Usagi said.

"B-but we hardly did anything, just one fight" Nina explained.

"Regardless it was one more fight we had no reason to be a part of, and that's better than nothing. You'll be paid the same regardless" Usagi said.

"R-right...pay...of course" Norman said avoiding their stares.

A large sack of what they assumed was filled with HL was given to them by the secretary, and soon after they left the faculty room.

"So...it looks like they had forgotten to...split the profits for us" Norman said.

"Considering we did all the work, we should just get all of it" Megas said.

"H-hey! I was a part of this too, even if I was forced you can't take my cut!" Norman said.

"It's two against three, you're the strategist, you figure the outcome" Nina said.

"W-we're not done here, not yet. We'll be back for our cut, even if we have to follow you to your Netherworld" Norman said.

"Hm~ you seem really devoted to this...tell you what, if you do what you said, then we'll talk it over with Walker, and give you a fair cut" Nina suggested.

"F-fine deal! Tell me your address, and we'll meet you there!" Norman said.

"Why don't you just follow us?" Megas asked.

"Because...on the way out of that place...Julie was able to tell me something she was finally able to do, and I-I..." Norman was saying.

"You~" Nina added.

"I...want to be there for her..." Norman muttered.

"W-well two things actually" Julie corrected.

"Huh? Fine, but the offer isn't gonna stay forever, we'll tell you where we are, just get there when you can" Nina instructed.

After instructions were told the guild left the magic wielders to do their own thing, the Dimensional Gate returning them back to the Netherworld they call home.

"So...are you nervous Julie?" Norman asked.

"About my reincarnation, or...telling our parents..." Julie asked.

"...It's okay to be a little nervous...about both..." Norman muttered.

"T-thank you..." Julie whispered.

Norman gripped Julie's hand a little more tightly than he should have, as if it were the last time, but Julie didn't complain, in fact she was also gripping Norman's hand as tightly as she could as well.

Delta Team Results: Mission Accomplish! Casualties: 1

Sigma Team

Everyone has that time in their lives they wish they hadn't, for the group in this team, the entire dungeon was on big time in their lives that would top multiple lifetimes.

"H-hey...what's the deal with this room?" Milky asked.

"W-why are you asking me?" Alto asked.

"Keep your eyes forward, or they might get the drop on us..." Sasha reminded.

"They're kind of scary though...they're like ODs, but not really" Elfie said.

"Y-yes, I wish to take a closer look, but I don't know how..." Sophie said

"At last, something that resembles both myself, and dark, pain" Lloyd said

They were in a large seemingly endless room, the water beneath their feet was so clear it looked like a mirror reflecting back at them so vividly, a lone island with a small tree was seen at the center, but what really caught their attention where the six shadows standing just a few feet away from them resembling their bodies perfectly.

"T-this could be trouble..." Milky said.

The twelve demon brawl was put to an end with pathetic results, despite the obvious differences in color tone, both teams had a difficult time not friendly firing each other.

"O-ow! Sasha, that's me!" Milky squealed as she was shot in the shoulder.

"Cease your spell casting you're targeting the real me!" Sophie cried out to Lloyd who blasted her arm into a frozen bar.

"H-hey new guy you're shooting the wrong cowgirl!" Sasha shouted as Alto opened fire at what he thought was a shadow Sasha.

"S-so all this time together, and you still abuse me?" Lloyd groaned as he was clubbed by Elfie, and her staff.

"W-whoops didn't mean to hit you, bad eyesight" Elfie said.

"That's a total lie..." Milky muttered as she overheard her.

After such an embarrassing fight the group traversed deeper in to the dungeon, until at last they found a rather large golden key.

"T-this is it, this must be the key to the legendary desert we're hunting for.

"About time too...all we had to go through, and the only reward is a couple of rubies, a compass, and this hook-shot with an extended reach" Elfie said.

I saw a door near the front entrance with a similarly complicated locking mechanism, perhaps that is our goal?" Sophie said.

"Yes that's right, I saw it too! Let's go gang" Milky exclaimed.

"You're still forcing me into your gang?" Alto asked.

"Wha~t haven't you been influenced by our charm, and personalities?" Sasha asked.

"Frankly, I think all of you are all a bunch of weirdos" Alto confessed.

The entire guild flinched at that comment.

"W-well...(crap I can't argue with him for some reason)" Milky stuttered, and thought.

"In fact, do you guys even have any friends outside of your group?" Alto asked.

Once again the entire guild flinched at his words.

"W-we do! (He must never know I'm a shut in)" Sophie muttered, and thought.

"You guys kind of made it obvious from your reactions that neither of you had any real friends up until now..." Alto said.

"S-so!" Milky shouted.

Alto was taken slightly aback, the room echoing her voice further.

"S-so what's so bad about being a little weird, or friendless? W-we're here now, together...you guys have no idea how lucky you got it, being friendly with each other when we're left to ourselves for liking different things, or acting differently...don't you think weird people deserve being with others too?" Milky asked.

"I-I didn't mean it like that..." Alto mumbled.

"Come on, let's keep going, this place is wet enough without you adding more to it by crying" Sasha half teased.

"I-I'm not crying, shut up cow!" Milky exclaimed.

"Proud of it too" Sasha hinted with a wink.

The large slab of a door loomed over there shut tight, wordlessly, and lifelessly determined to keep whatever is inside a secret, the lock acting as a final test to the adventurers. As proof of their endeavors exploring the dungeon a key is to be found hidden deep inside, with which to unlock it's secret, which is exactly what the guild, and Alto have. The key was put in the lock, the mechanism cracked over years of neglect, but it opened nonetheless, and the metaphorical Pandora's box was open to them.

The room was cool, colder than the humid bakery, possibly to keep it's treasure fresh, which was standing on a pedestal at the center of a large body of dark blue water...dark blue water?

"Halt!" Sophie exclaimed

"Confound it Sophie the cake thing is right there! Let's nab it!" Sasha cried out.

"Be warned, that isn't how H2O is suppose to look..." Sophie said.

"Then let me swipe it, I'm pretty quick on my feet" Milky said.

Suddenly the water began to churn, and even gurgled as if it was awakened by the noise of intruders.

"I knew it, this place has one more guardian we must deal with. Let us put an end to it" Sophie said.

"Bring it, this gal ain't leaving without the cash!" Sasha assured.

"We've come too far to retreat, I will do my best" Eflie said.

"If you think something like running water is gonna scare me you've got another thing coming!" Milky assured.

The water gurgled, and churned more violently than ever as if hearing their insults, and accepting their challenge large blobs of water formed all around the treasure. Then they stretched themselves into long, lengthy, liquid tentacles waving back, and forth-

A loud scream pierced the room momentarily stunning both the monster, and the two boys, turning around they saw the girls all screaming frantically while scratching, and pawing at the now shut door which refuses to let them out.

"What's gotten into you four?" Alto asked.

"T-t-t-tentacles!" Milky shrieked.

"I've written enough fics to know where this is going!" Sophie squealed.

"I wanna go home~!" Elfie shouted.

"G-g-g-get away from me~!" Sasha bellowed.

"Unbelievable..." Alto groaned.

"It appears as if the beast is ready to attack..."

Another wave of screams were heard coming from the girls.

"*Sigh* guess it's up to-hey skull guy, you see that thing over there? On one of the tentacles.

"Y-yes it looks like a mutated brain..." Lloyd realized.

"If that ain't an obvious weakness I don't know what is. Hey girls we need you to-" Alto said.

The girls shouted, and screamed as the tentacles suddenly took an interest to them, and started attacking them. Having forgotten all their training, and skills the girls ran frantically about the room avoiding the strands of water attempting to grab them.

"I was wondering why we were talking so much without interruption" Alto said.

"We have to do something..." Lloyd muttered.

"Hm~ it's hard to think with all this **shouting!**" Alto said, putting a lot of emphasis, and volume on the shouting part.

"It is in it's basic form a liquid correct?" Lloyd asked.

"Basically" Alto said.

"Then allow me, and just finish what I start...the room is cold, but my heart is ice, freeze!" Lloyd muttered.

A branch from one of the tentacles containing the brain on it's far end suddenly froze, the liquid water unable to float mid air collapsed onto the floor along with the brain. Before it could have anytime to crawl to the main body of water, Alto shot at it multiple times, the bullets piercing right through it, putting a quick end to it.

"See? Was that so hard?" Alto asked no one in particular.

"*Phew* good work team!" Milky said.

"Huh!" Alto exclaimed.

"That was a really tough battle wasn't it?" Elfie said.

"Yeah, it really put me to the test, but I think I aced it!" Sasha said.

"I don't believe this..." Alto muttered.

"An exceptional challenge, truly a specimen worth terminating" Sophie added.

"You're just gonna keep ignoring the obvious truth like this?" Alto said.

A pat on his shoulder from Lloyd was his only answer.

A cylinder of white energy formed at the bottom of a once full pool of dark blue water.

"It appears to be the exit...in my best scientific guess" Sophie said.

"Sweet! Let's take the cake, and make a break for it!" Milky exclaimed.

"Already on it sugar!" Sasha said swiping the cake.

With the reward in hand they used the generous exit given to them, and left the bakery. After recovering from a blinding white light, they found themselves back outside near the front of Etna's stolen castle.

"W-whoa, holy crap dood! You guys just popped out of nowhere dood!" A prinny shouted.

"Hey, are you the same prinny that told us where to get the legendary desert?" Milky asked.

"N-no way, you mean you guys actually got it dood?" The Prinny asked.

"Right here" Sasha said bringing out the cake she kept stored between her breasts.

The group stared at her.

"W-what? Were you expecting something different? Do you see any pockets in this outfit?" Sasha interrogated.

"This is so amazing, now with this Etna might be in a good enough mood to not beat us dood! I'll deliver it to her right away, and I'll come back with your reward doods!" The prinny exclaimed.

Taking the cake with it's flippers-(someone needs to explain to me how they can grab things like that)-the Prinny rushed inside the castle. The group waited...and waited...at last after what seemed like several minutes have past something happened.

"Yuck! Stale cake!" A loud, booming, yet feminine voice bellowed.

A Prinny was seen being flung out of the fifth story window, he flew across the field, it's tears creating what could be the most depressing rainbow in existence before exploding in the middle of the woods.

"You can keep a cake fresh inside a fridge, but it will still be stale...especially if they're several years old" Sophie said.

Moments later a Prinny came back with a gloomy mood.

"H-here...you're reward anyways...I-I have to go to the local bakery, and buy master Etna fresh cake...you can use our dimensional gate to go back home" the Prinny explained handing Elfie a large sack of HL.

"...Oh well, not our problem anymore" Sasha said.

With that the group, and Alto currently being forced against his will left using the dimensional gate to return to the netherworld they know as home.

Sigma Team Results: Mission Accomplished! Casualties: 0

_End of Chapter_

_It's been my worst month as an adult. Having to move to a new apartment I needed the overtime to pay for it, so almost no time was spent working on this. I don't know how long I can keep this up, but I will keep this up. Again I'll take any mission requests, and character requests, or at least consider them. Thank you for your reviews, support, and most importantly your patience._


	29. Chapter 29

_Chapter 29: Tag_

_One word is worth a thousand pictures I think_

_Elfie: Truer words never spoken, oh wait, yes they have, I spoke them._

_Then please don't speak them about me. Enjoy!_

At the Disgaea Guild building

"(How did it come to this)" Walker thought as he strode through the hallway, his senses spiked to their limits to hear the softest of taps, to see the slightest of movement, to smell a hint of life. His gun loaded with pellets, safety off of course. Everyone out of sight, but clearly withing the area parameters, they will slip up, they will show themselves, and he will rid himself of this curse.

"Damn that Sorcerer, and her stupid antics...well it's not really her fault this time" Walker grumbled to himself.

He didn't want to speak out loud, he had to be quiet, stealthy, he needed to make sure he spotted them before they spot him.

"(If only I knew it would lead to this)" Walker thought to himself.

He recalls the events just hours prior.

He was the first to arrive from his mission, Kelly greeted him from behind the counter with Noelle, and Isabelle covered in flour for some odd reason, it didn't bother Walker in the slightest, but gave the order to wash up for dinner. Moments later one squad returned, Elfie, Milky, Sophie, Sasha, and Lloyd with some random kid, all of them looking exhausted, apparently having ran all the way from the transit to the guild.

"...Why?" Was Walker's only response to the sudden new face.

"This...this guy-*huff-puff*-is a guy!" Milky pointed out, out of breath

"T-this girl-*huff*-is a girl...she told t-to say that..." Alto breathed.

"W-we didn't have to run all the way-*huff-puff*-over here" Elfie wheezed.

"Y-yeah...people we're staring...mostly at me" Sasha grumbled.

"W-when are you people going to realize, we Skulls-*huff*-a-aren't meant for this much...physical activity?" Lloyd muttered.

"W-Walker, we ran all the way here, please don't let our exhaustion be in vain, respond in kind of you will" Sophie said.

Walker stood there, his mind racing with everything that he has just been told.

"So...where's the proof?" Walker asked.

Milky drove her palm straight to her face causing a loud smack.

"D-don't you see it!" Milky cried out.

"All I see are two thieves dressed completely different, now if your done talking come inside already, the food has just been set on the table, and the rest of us are waiting on how you guys did" Walker impatiently explained.

"F-fine, but we're not done talking!" Milky exclaimed as she marched herself inside dragging Alto with her.

"H-hey wait a second, I said what you wanted me to say, can I go home now?" Alto asked.

"No! The deal was that you can leave as soon as Walker acknowledges that I'm a girl, and that's final!" Milky reminded.

"You might be staying here for a while" Elfie said.

"He's that dense?" Alto asked.

"You have no idea" Sasha said.

"He is denser than lead" Sophie added.

"Why do you care so much Milky? It's not like it's hurting anyone" Alto said.

"I know it's not, it's just the...principle of the thing" Milky excused.

"You just made that up on the spot!" Alto exclaimed.

"Come on you two, stop your bickering, and let's go eat" Elfie said.

"My stomach feels empty" Lloyd said.

"Let me guess, just like your heart?" Sasha finished.

"I was actually done talking, but now that you reminded me, yes I do feel emptiness in my heart" Lloyd muttered.

They entered their newly refurbished dining hall, and were immediately assaulted by loud voices of several of their guild members all discussing things one after another. Despite only being gone for several hours it felt like months to the small party as soon the chatter began to die out once they turned their attention over to Milky, and her team.

"Milky, I see that you have arrived unscathed from your journey, sit with us, and drink some tea while you tell us of your skirmishes" Kimberly was the first to greet them.

"Yes! What when they explained who this Etna person was, I was instantly filled with worry seeing as how you were basically entering the belly of the beast" Phoenix stated.

"B-belly?! I-I'm so glad you weren't eaten" Firefly breathed a sigh of relief.

"I've been cooking for so long, I can't feel my fins doods!" Blank cried out.

He was ignored as usual.

"Oh~ to be in a new Netherworld I haven't been too. Tell me did they have any different flowers, or fauna there? Are they more relaxed, and at inner peace with themselves than here?" Maple asked.

"It is wonderful to see your very attractive faces again-is that another boy following you? Ugh~ don't we have enough of those in here?" Schrodinger grumbled.

"...Welcome back..." Lance muttered, still reading his book.

"Did you gain any new tips on haunting places, I could take all the help I can get" Limbo said.

"Have you stolen any secrets from the castle-zam!" Aldo asked.

"How was the shopping there, maybe found a cute skirt that normal teenage girls wear in the human world...nin-nin?" Kelly asked.

"Ah~ I hope to soon strut my stuff in a new Netherworld" Peachy sighed..

"Meow! Mew-mew-mew!" Misha cried out.

Translation: you all reek of fish, it's teasing my sensitive nose, and for that you must pay the ultimate price...right after I finish eating this fish stick.

"Aw~ Misha missed you guys, but don't just stand there, give me all the foreign candy you guys got!" Berry Melon squeaked.

"We want to have fun next-" Noelle began

"We want to have an adventure too!" Isabelle chimed.

"Hurry up, and take a seat already, don't keep us waiting" Walker said.

"I guess it's good to be back?" Milky said unsure of how to react by all the sudden, and different greetings they were given.

It really was quite a strange thing to get use to, especially in the Netherworld, to have so many demons of all kind in one sitting with nothing better to do than to listen to other demon's tales of adventure, and combat. Still it wasn't so bad they figured, hell it might even be exactly what they needed in their lives, and they did not even know it. They took their seats, and partook in several of the dishes laid out in a spread, three stuffed turkeys, several jars of hot gravy, mash potatoes, and sweet potato, clam chowder soup, and several drinks ranging from both soda to juice, and of course tea, iced, and hot. They took what they wanted, and began to recollect everything that they went through.

"We were taken to this really large, and expensive looking castle with Prinnies running left to right, they all looked busy, and panicky" Milky began.

"We managed to get information from one particular Prinny who told us that our requested item was held in an ancient bakery at the edge of the forest" Elfie added.

"As it turns out, and you'll never believe this, but the bakery was underwater! Like literally we had to buy scuba gear just to get inside, and look around for it. Boy howdy were we wet" Sasha said.

"Would you like to rephrase that?" Walker asked.

"Shut up ya git, you know what I meant!" Sasha quickly retaliated.

"We searched high, and low, seeing as how we had to control the flow of water going back, and forth much like my mood swings from depression, to super depression" Lloyd mumbled.

"Eventually they found me, and dragged me against my will through the rest of the dungeon, honestly being stuck there for so long I stopped caring about the treasure, and just wanted to leave" Alto said.

"Further exploration has lead us to many sights, puzzles, and an assortment of enemies we have not seen anywhere in any Netherworlds we have visited" Sophie added.

They went on with their tale recollecting the sights, and experiences they went through for the legendary dessert/

"And the worst part was after all that trouble the Overlord still didn't like it because it was so stale!" Milky concluded.

"At least we still got paid for our work, so I ain't complaining" Sasha said.

"Yeah, all in all we earned quite a bit of HL for that one" Milky said.

"Then all that's left is to wait for the-" Walker began.

The double doors opened with a loud bang, quickly turning towards the source of the noise they saw it was Megas followed by the rest of the group.

"We're back, and we're loaded!" Megas shouted.

"That means we finished another job" Nina translated.

"Left school with boom! Crashed show, fought, and cursed!" Peach Basket exclaimed.

"We wrecked some stuff, and demons, and got payed" Nina once again translated.

"Unfortunately we had a slight bump in the plan, and had to deposit some of our funds to...replenish what was lost" Aegis added.

"...He died, and we had to pay him back to life...why is it so hard for you guys to just explain things normally?" Nina wondered.

"The person with the split personality really has no right to talk" Walker muttered.

"*Flinch*...I'll forget you said that considering we are on the same team" Nina said nearly losing it right then, and there.

"Oh look Nina, and Walker are at it again, I see nothing has changed" Elfie said.

"Whatever, it's not worth it while there's still all this food to eat" Walker grumbled as he resume to feast upon the turkey, and potatoes.

"Looks delicious, it sure beats eating rations in a foxhole littered with the bodies of demons you fought alongside with" Nina said.

"...Not while we're eating" Walker scolded.

"Noted" Nina assured.

"Lloyd! You join me next time!" Peach Basket exclaimed as she took her seat, and half a turkey, and stuffed her face on it devouring the thing from the inside out like a rabid animal...like most Shamans.

"One more team member, and we could have avoided my demise" Aegis realized.

"I go where I am told because my heart has betrayed me so many times. I'm a lost soul who has nothing in life to lift me out of my deep, dark abyss of my miserable psyche" Lloyd said.

"I said not while we're eating" Walker reminded.

"Oh yeah! We're gonna be getting some visitors coming here tomorrow maybe, who knows, but they're gonna want their cut of the HL we got" Megas explained after finished a jug of soda.

"Maybe you oughta start at the beginning" Walker suggested.

"Well let's see now, we were at the school, same gate as last time I think, the place was still a wreck from the dodge-ball game, but was getting fixed" Nina began.

"Went to room, then room in room with long table, and chairs, wait, saw demons, story boring, no curse to tell!" Peach Basket ended it.

"Basically it was there when we encountered yet another Original Demon! Lucky us right? Anyways this girl right, well she didn't really talk, more like messed with a ball in a cup thing, but the rabbit was talking, even though it was a stuffed animal, or at least it looked stuffed. Man you should have been there, the crazy factor was all over the place bro!" Megas exclaimed.

"...I'd better get some sarsaparilla for this one" Walker muttered.

"Daw~ we missed something so weird, and strange Noelle!" Isabelle whined.

"I know we did, we want to go too~!" Noelle chimed.

"So after that rambled bunch of nonsense what happened next?" Kimberly asked.

"We got our orders to raid a concert starring some spiky haired guy we never met" Aegis said.

"Apparently there was some history going on between our employer, and the target, which lead to this event. It didn't end well for Axel" Nina concluded.

"We were also accompanied by some old rivals, the Red Skull we faced during our first visit at Maritsu. We were forced to cooperate with him, and his 'partner'" Aegis added.

"We traveled to show, went backstage-ooah! More meat!" Peach Basket exclaimed as her need for food outweighed the need to report.

"Someone get her another leg" Phoenix called out.

"Right here, she can have my share, trying to keep my figure after all" Peachy offered sliding her own plate over towards Peach Basket who wasted no time in devouring everything on it.

"Anyways, it ended well for us, we didn't even have to fight the guy were ruining, our employer did that personally...heard a lot of screaming, and begging for the pain to stop, but I was already use to hearing things like that before" Nina said.

"Either way we got payed, got junk done, let's get drunk!" Megas exclaimed.

"No more beers...not for a while" Nina quickly intervene.

"Changing the subject rather quickly have you met our newest member yet? The young man next to Milky" Elfie pointed out.

"I'm not a new member" Alto reminded.

"We have another Thief on our group now? Well at least it's someone I recognize from my Netherworld" Nina said.

"I'm still completely confused" Alto said.

"The mind boggles" Sophie added.

"Well you're here now, so welcome to our club!" Berry Melon welcomed.

"Don't call it a club, it's a guild!" Walker reminded.

"All I'm saying is that you should give us a shot, I mean it's not like you had anything better going for you in your Netherworld" Berry Melon concluded.

"I agree, or did you grow attached to that empty room with the oversized clams?" Elfie said.

"Hey I had a life before that...just, well...still I want a choice in the matter" Alto said.

"I don't see why you're fighting so hard against this" Elfie said nonchalantly.

"Wouldn't most people do the same thing!" Alto retaliated.

"Not when meat to eat on table! Eat, meat no words, only meat!" Peach Basket assured.

"...What is she?" Alto asked.

"Why do you care? I thought you wanted to leave?" Milky asked.

"...Now that I think about it...what are half of you anyways?" Alto asked.

"You've never been to another Netherworld?" Aegis asked.

"I couldn't affor-I-I told you I had my own life to deal with, I just didn't have the time" Alto muttered.

"Right, well suddenly you do have the time so make the most of it" Elfie implored.

"Not the time I had in mind you know" Alto said.

"...Who really owns time?..." Lance muttered from behind his book.

Alto had no way to retaliate against that.

"Well if you need a room we have a few more upstairs, take room twenty five, I'm pretty sure it's empty" Walker said.

"Correct, I sleep in my room, room twenty four, and I was the last to choose my room" Lance added.

Alto still didn't like how all his excuses were failing him, but before temptation rears it's ugly head, he had one more idea that considering who he was talking to might be crazy enough to work.

"W-what if, what if I bring nothing, but trouble. Would you still want me here?" Alto asked.

"I don't know, ask the class that creates trouble out of thin air" Nina responded motioning towards Peach Basket.

"Ooah!" Peach Basket cried out, arms raised high one carrying a piece of meat.

"Well what if I did something that screwed everything up, and causes a scence?" Alto asked.

"We cause drama here almost all the time, I fail to see how you might do something that will cause us to lose our heads" Sasha scoffed.

"Hate to agree to something I never wanted, but she's right" Walker supported.

"Drama, that's something that draws the attention to most normal teenagers, can you show us this drama...nin-nin?" Kelly asked.

"...Okay, it starts out like this" Alto began. He got out of his seat, and walked towards Walker who remained seated. "(Hope this works)" Alto thought as he brought out one finger, and touched Walker's shoulder.

"Tag!" Alto called out.

The hall was silent for a brief moment, and suddenly the room erupted with the banging of chairs being pushed away, food spilling, glasses breaking, and the double doors slamming open until every guild member rushed out of it leaving Walker confused, and alone until it finally dawned on him.

"...I'm, it? Damn it...not this game again!" Walker groaned loudly.

Back to the present

"Come on, this is stupid! We're grown demons for crying out loud! We invoke fear in the mortal realm, and destroy whole cities with-Firefly! Found ya!" Walker exclaimed spotting Firefly as she peeked through her room door.

Firefly gave an audible squeak before shutting the door close, as Walker rushed towards it before she could lock it. Lucky for him it wasn't, but he could hear a clutter of noise coming from the room. Wasting no time he lunged himself inside, and spotted Firefly trying to escape through the window.

"Oh no you don't!" Walker exclaimed moving forward.

"H-help! I-I'm stuck!" Firefly cried out.

Walker stopped himself short of touching Firefly to get her to become it to hear what she had to say. Apparently her escape through the window was half interrupted as her upper half had just barely squeezed through, but down to her hips she was unable to move. Apparently in her rush to escape she accidentally caused the window to close shut half way through her escape thus causing her to be trapped.

"I-I was trying to escape, b-b-but the window was too small!" Firefly confessed.

Walker looked at the accused window, doing some quick number crunching in his head he realized that while it may be small yes, he could squeeze through that no problem, in fact mostly everyone could squeeze through that no problem. Glancing over confident that no one was watching him watch Firefly perhaps there were some drawbacks to having a...very healthy body. Still she was a teammate, and she had been there for nearly the beginning, it would be a shame to just let her be it without giving her a fight. Slowly he walked beside her, wearing a warm smile that Firefly could barely glance at when she craned her neck to get a view from inside her room.

"Thank you so much Walker!" Firefly cried out in relief.

Walker lifted the window up, thus giving Firefly more room to move about, and wiggle herself free.

"O-o-okay I think I can get out on my own here so-" Firefly began.

She was quickly cut off when Walker moved behind her, and kicked her square in the tush, hard, sending her flying out of her room, and outside face down on the dirt.

"Tag, you're it!" Walker cried out taking this chance to book it to a hiding spot.

You are Firefly, and right now you're in a scary predicament. You're it, and you're terrified.

"(Oh no, oh no, I've never been 'it' before, what do I do-ow~...he didn't have to kick me that hard, that, that...jerk)" Firefly thought.

To make it worse Walker pretty much declared Firefly being it to the whole Netherworld considering how loudly he shouted that, now everyone else will be in high alert, and avoid her.

"Y-you can do this Firefly...you just gotta...gotta fight, that's all" Firefly murmured as she stood up.

Looking left, and right you find nothing, but forest, the night dark enough to make seeing nearly impossible, luckily Comet was kind enough to provide the building with lamps on all sides of the building outside, so long as she stayed near the guild she should be able to see her way through. Hopefully she won't have to travel deep into the woods to find her targets. She took a nervous walk to the left, looking every which way. In her nervous state she suddenly tripped, and fell to her knees, as she got up she noticed that the object that tripped her was a small block of ice. Which was funny since normally blocks of ice don't migrate to this side of the Netherworld until late November which means someone had created it. Faint giggling could be heard from just around the corner of the building, Firefly shifted from a nervous walk to a light jog to find the source of the noise. Along the way more baby glaciers erupted from the ground, Firefly hopped, and skipped through them, but to no avail, and she fell down yet again. The giggling was louder which meant they hadn't left the area, but Firefly was half way there, suddenly she was struck with inspiration. Focusing her energy, and magic prowess she bumped her ice resistant to a considerable amount, and ran full speed. More oversized ice cubes jutted forth in her path, but as she ran through them, they quickly dispatched by her feet, feeling more like soft slushie rather than cold bricks. She could hear gasping noises, just as she turned the corner, and saw Noelle, and Isabelle crouched together against the wall. Firefly reached out her hand to tag Isabelle, but Noelle quickly intervened with a powerful gale forcing Firefly out of reach. Thinking ahead Firefly once again focused her energy, she bumped her wind resistance, the hurricane wind feeling more like a gentle breeze as she lunged towards Isabelle once more.

"T-tag!" Firefly cried out as she succeeded in touching Isabelle.

The girls screamed, though it sounded more like a high pitch squeal, and took off, leaving Firefly on the floor again.

"I-I did it..." Firefly muttered before succumbing to exhaustion, and passing out.

You are Isabelle, and you're it, and it's the absolute worse.

"W-wait! Why are we running again?" Noelle suddenly asked mid-run.

Both girls stopped their frightened sprint.

"B-because I'm 'it', this is terrible!" Isabelle cried out.

"It's gonna be okay Isabelle" Noelle assured.

"No it's not, b-because you have to get away from me, or else you'll be it, a-and I don't want you to go away~" Isabelle declared, succumbing to her sadness, and began crying.

"Aw~ Isabelle" Noelle said, her eyes suddenly becoming watery as well

Noelle stretched a nervous arm towards Isabelle, but she quickly retreated away from it, even though she really didn't want to.

"N-no you mustn't" Isabelle sobbed.

"Isabelle, I don't care if you're it, you're my sister, we've been through some real toughie times together, this is just one of them we can get through together" Noelle assured.

"B-but-" Isabelle tried to say.

"Besides, when Firefly touched you, I was clinging to you, so technically she touched both of us, which means we're both it" Noelle assured.

"R-really?" Isabelle asked.

"Really" Noelle said.

"Really, really?" Isabelle asked again.

"Really, really" Noelle assured.

Once again Noelle extended her arm of sisterly love towards Isabelle, which Isabelle returned with a spine crushing hug, which Noelle returned in full. With their spirits lifted, and their childish energy suddenly returned both girls clasped their hands together, and skipped merrily inside the building to look for a target, taking a brisk skipped to the dining hall, the lights off. They saw the scurrying of movements from different bodies, they flickered on the lights to reveal Kelly, Aldo, and Nina. With their identities, and themselves exposed they turned towards the two girls lowering their defenses, until Aldo got a closer look at the sneer grins the twins had.

"They're 'it'-zam!" Aldo exclaimed.

Protruding a small black ball he slammed it on the floor close to his feet, a small tower of smoke shrouding him, once it cleared he was gone. Kelly seeing what her brother had done decided to do the same.

"W-wait! Take me with you-" Nina asked, but Kelly had already slammed the smoke bomb near her feet, and vanished into thin air.

Before Nina could think of an escape plan-(she was at the point of slamming her body full force onto the wall breaking it open)-her whole body was suddenly hit with a powerful gale flinging her body hard against the wall, well half her plan was working sort of. Unable to move she could not fight off the spreading ice crystal forming around her body keeping her in place, and trapping her even further. Soon her whole body was trapped in ice glued to the wall, only parts of her chest, feet, hands, and head were left untouched. Noelle, and Isabelle shouted something about a victory, skipped towards Nina, gave a little twirl, and poked her left foot.

"Tag! You're it!" Both girls declared, and then made a mad dash out of the dining hall in giggling fits.

You are Nina, you're it, and you're pissed. Fueled by furious adrenaline you make quick work of your arctic dungeon freeing yourself...probably should have done that from the beginning, but who cares you're angry!

The dining hall is empty, that much is clear, surprising how over twenty people can just vanish like this, especially Aegis, and Megas, but if you're lucky they shouldn't be too hard to find, and even less harder tagging them...maybe you're axe could help with that, blind fury what do you think?

Blind fury: go for it!

Can't argue with that logic! Equipping her axe from her personal inventory she stomped her way out of the dining hall, frustration of missing out on yet another good night's rest because of her life choices. Moving to the lobby she did a quick search behind the desk, not finding a thing, but a soft thumping noise was heard from the hallway. Nina quickly burst through the double doors, and found Kelly just as the smoke from her disappearing act evaporated.

"You!" Nina called out extending her axe, and pointing it at her.

Kelly jumped in surprise, and brought forth another smoke ball.

"No you-" Nina cried out rushing forward.

Unfortunately Kelly did, and vanished in yet another cloud of smoke. Nina groaned loudly, but another soft thump was heard nearby, turning to the source of the noise she had guessed it to be in room sixteen, Kelly's room, or someone's, probably should have paid more attention to where everyone was staying, who knows when you need to knock on a neighbor's door, and ask for a cup of sugar...you gotta stop rambling in your head, and get back to work Nina. Sprinting towards the door she was not surprised to see it was locked, figures, but wait she was holding the perfect lock picking tool already. She swung her axe hard on the door frame already leaving a wide crack, loud screaming could be heard from inside the room.

"(Good, that was definitely Kelly)" Nina thought as she struck the door again.

From inside the room Nina heard various drawers being pulled, and the shuffling of clothing, she guessed that Kelly was searching for another smoke bomb to vanish into.

"No you don't!" Nina exclaimed bringing her axe down onto the door again. Once the hole was wide enough she reached out an arm, and unlocked the door from the other side, and made her way inside seeing Kelly struggling through her mess of clothes, and accessories to find another smoke ball to escape.

"No, no, no-wait, here it-" Kelly cried out, but it was too late, as Nina had planted her fist firmly in her left shoulder, and sent her crashing several feet onto her wall.

"Tag, you're it...loser" Nina grunted as she hefted the heavy axe on her shoulder, and walked out of the room like a total boss leaving Kelly with a dislocated shoulder, and broken wall...and door.

You are Kelly, and everything is broken, hopefully Walker wouldn't let all this mess just stay here after all the HL he paid to get it re-fixed. Your shoulder could do some fixing of it's own, Elfie is nowhere in sight though...but you might know where she's hiding. Still you can't wait that long, and with a heavy sigh you know what needs to be done. Grabbing some nearby fabric, and wrapping it into a thick pudgy ball, Kelly stuck it in her mouth to stifle her possible future screaming, then she now turned to her dislocated shoulder. It took several tries, the fabric doing it's job making her screams into soft grunts as she continued to arduous task of relocating her shoulder. After several minutes, and some forced pushing she finally heard the *pop* she's been waiting for signaling the relocation process was a success. Being a resilient ninja did have it's benefits, but Kelly got the feeling that most normal teenage girls aren't suppose to able to relocate their shoulders like that.

"(I'm further away from being normal than ever)" Kelly thought in her head.

Ignoring the lingering ache in her recently fixed shoulder she walked out of her room also ignoring the damage that was recently done.

"(So I'm it, but where do I start?)" Kelly wondered.

Thinking about her targets Elfie would be the most logical choice, again knowing where she might be holding herself up. Her brother being the furthest option, when it came to being chased no one could keep up with his trickery, except for perhaps a skilled thief, but she wasn't one of those.

"(Elfie it is)" Kelly thought.

Not in any real rush she strolled through the hallway ignoring the occasional noises coming from the other rooms, and upstairs, obviously the only real safe places to hide would be in their own rooms, with most of them having the window as an emergency escape hatch.

Opening the double doors to the lobby she approached the door in front of her leading to the library/therapy office, only to hear the front doors suddenly open. Turning towards them she saw a most unusual, but appealing sight. A young woman wearing a dark thin once piece bikini with matching thigh high boots over a mustard yellow full body skin tight suit leaving little to the imagination. Her eyes were a light brown as well as her hair, constantly flowing from the fact that she was bobbing up, and down thanks to her large wings spanning a little less than half the room when they extended all the way. Her upper body instinctively bent slightly forward to draw attention to her sultry expression, and bulging chest rising up, and down ever so slightly as if they had a mind of their own. Why was Kelly so descriptive of her? Why was her heart beating faster even though she was girl herself, and felt no feeling like this to anyone else? Then she remembered why almost instantly.

"(Succubus, their charms have no boundaries, all genders are equally affected...)" Kelly thought, her cheeks turning a soft pink all of a sudden.

The Succubus noticed her present, and looked visibly surprised.

"(Oh my sexy body, I didn't think anyone was awake at this hour!)" the Succubus thought.

"U-uh may I...help, you?" Kelly asked her voice growing soft as if speaking to a long time crush.

"Yes you can, see I was wondering if you could just keep quiet about me being here, can you do that for little young me?" The Succubus asked.

"I-I can't do that, I'm the receptionist so you can um~ we're closed for the night so you can...go back tomorrow, or leave a message, and we'll get back to you" Kelly asked through her rapidly beating heart.

"I'm afraid I can't do that sweetie, I kind of want him to be surpr-oh my~ I said too much already, you naughty girl making me say such dirty things~" the Succubus whispered loudly, her voice still keeping that seductive tone even though everything in her plan was going wrong.

"I-I don't know what you're talking about honest" Kelly admitted. "(This is bad, my body getting all tingly, and stuff, I gotta get out of here, but I'm still it, wait...)" Kelly thought.

"So two beautiful women like us, all alone at night, what do you want to do about this rare opportunity?" The Succubus asked crossing her arms gently underneath her chest, almost in slow motion.

Kelly was shaking, not from fear, but rather nervousness, but one moment of courage was all she needed. The feeling she felt, the heat from her body too much to bear, passion fueling her every action now, nothing matter anymore, but this one time alone with this definition of beauty before her, practically jumping towards her, she reached an adventurous hand forward, and grabbed her forearm.

"T-tag, you're it!" Kelly shouted in a state of wild passion as she quickly ran away before she did something even more lewd.

You are the newly reincarnated Succubus Venus! Apparently you're it too...you knew things would be different compared to the life of a Lady Fighter, but this is beyond what you had expected. Putting the pieces together it dawn on you that they were playing tag. Well that's just swell, and even better, you're it, and no one want's to do it with the person who's it...well that't just your opinion, but I'm sure anyone would agree. Looking around the room there isn't much to behold, it appears to be a small lobby, that ninja girl-wait! Walker has a Ninja girl? Just how many girls does that Gunner associate himself with, this is even harder than you had anticipated. If memories serves you right that girl went to the left, through the double doors, maybe there are others there that can help you remove this curse bestowed upon you, or at the very least tag back. Dropping to ground level she strode with sexy grace towards the hallway. It was empty with no visible thing to stare at her in sight, why can't things be easy? Strolling along the hallway ignoring the noise her heels were making along the hard wood she was suddenly assaulted by a door opening loudly.

"Who's wearing heels!" Schrodinger called out.

A wild Ranger appeared, wait you've seen this person before, he was the one trying to hit on you when you first met Walker. Yeah, you wonder if he remembers-oh wait you reincarnated, this is gonna get awkward fast, but maybe he has some use.

"Oh! Finally someone to keep me company, I was so scared, and lonely walking all by myself!" Venus swooned.

Schrodinger gulped loudly, but quickly composed himself...sort of.

"A-are you a-a int-interior decorator? 'Cause w-w-when I saw y-you the r-room became be-beautiful!" Schrodinger stammered nervously.

"You flatterer, you had my curiosity, but now you have my attention, come closer so I can hear you more clearly" Venus invited.

"I-I well, um..." Schrodinger said suddenly becoming nervous, He hadn't thought his pick up line would actually work.

"What's the matter, I'm right here, it's okay, I won't bite, I'll just move real close, my body touching yours, you can enjoy the smell of my hair, and skin while I whisper sweet nothings into your ear, and you can lead me to bed" Venus whispered loudly.

That was the clincher, Schrodinger grew red in the face, his body temperature rising, heart pumping, and eyes of lustful desire her sprung towards Venus.

"(Too easy)" Venus thought to herself.

In an instant she was shrouded in a cloud of purple smoke, sexy purple smoke, and burst into a swarm of bats quickly splitting apart just as Schrodinger reached the area where a once beautiful woman once stood. Unable to stop he slammed head first onto the wall, and collapsed on the floor knocked out, nose bleeding...possibly from the collision...maybe. The bats huddled together, and in another cloud of smoke Venus appeared as her usual self again.

"Well, this didn't turn out the way I wanted to, what a shame. If so many demons are awake no doubt 'he' will be too, the dream will have to wait, but first..." Venus said with impatience.

She sauntered over to Schrodinger, his body limp, but eyelids fluttering as he begins to regain consciousness, crouched down, and gave him a quick peck on his cheek with her perfectly soft lips.

"Tag, you're it!" Venus giggled. With her burden gone she fled the building determined to try again tomorrow night.

You are Schrodinger, and this is the best/worst day ever. Out of all the girls that declined your invitation to join your harem-I mean group, the one that did say yes happened to be your one weakness. Why she decided not to suck the life force out of you, you will never know, but there are more important things to deal with right now. You're it, and you need to tag someone back. It's nearing dawn, and according to the rules of tag, once the day when the game begins ends, the last person who's it will be crown the loser. Why such a rule exists in the Netherworld you may never know, but it's there, and you need to get out of this. Going outside, the black skies turning into a very pale yellow, the sun just poking a top of the forest, time was running out fast. Circling the building resulted in zero targets, but one large bud jutting out of the ground next, to, the front...door.

"(W-was this always here?)" Schrodinger wondered.

Plant was far too large, the petals enclosed were far too big by normal flower standards, and it was so obviously Maple. Schrodinger took caution knowing far too well that some Alraunes could use their springy roots as underground spike traps that can be set off at the slightest touch of his foot touching the wrong patch of earth hiding the dreaded thing. Once he was at arms reach he noticed the sun was now starting to illuminate the Netherworld signaling a new day, he had only seconds.

"Tag!" Schrodinger called out before jumped back, and away from the possible danger, and with that he was free of becoming 'it' last, what a joyous day this is.

As the sun's ray brushed against the green of her leaves, Maple felt the warm blanket of nourishment give her strength, and sustenance, if only everyone else could feel photosynthesis like you could, there would be no wars, and no hate, just sunbathing all day.

You are Maple, apparently you're it, well it was expected you were too weak at night to run away, and too new to this place to know where to hide. So you stopped caring all together, you needed to save your energy, or you could wither, or worse your beautiful leaves will turn a crusty brown. Then there's the morning dew you'll miss out if you don't root, and rest, boy do you love how cold, and ticklish it is, as well as refreshing. You're rambling now, it is time to take action, now that the sun is up you don't need the protection of your leaves to keep you warm. You unfurl you leaves making sure none of them get tangled in the process, then you gently pull yourself out of the ground with an adorable *pop*, but your root is all knotted up, and messy, traveling like this would be impossible. While girls brush their hair, you brush your root until it is in it's most useful springy state.

"I wonder how the others are holding up?" Maple speaks to herself.

Putting a little extra force in her roots she springs high above the building, and lands onto the rooftop where the majority of the guild has been hiding.

"Ooah! You it, you it! Back, back, back no want 'it' curse!" Peach Basket cried out.

"Aw~ it's okay, I don't mind losing, and besides the sun is up anyways, we can go back to our regular selves" Maple assured.

"That's a relief, I suppose I better get breakfast ready" Elfie said.

"I shall assist as well, it's the least I can do for helping me get up here" Aegis said.

"We do need more bread in our diet, your assistance is quite welcome" Elfie politely accepted his offer.

"I don't know about you guy, but I need more booze in my diet" Megas said.

"You drank an entire kegger while we were up here" Phoenix stated.

"Yeah, and I'm only slightly buzzed, no way am I gonna start the day like that" Megas said.

"Thanks for the rooftop sleepover Alto! This was fun! Berry Melon exclaimed.

"This isn't what I had planned at all" Alto said.

"Well maybe next time, you are staying with us for a while after all" Milky assured.

"Why do you torment me like this?" Alto asked.

"You shouldn't say something like that until you hear Lloyd's story" Limbo gasped.

"Speaking of which, where is our Blue Skull sulking?" Kimberly wondered.

In the walk in freezer behind the kitchen

"At the stroke of midnight the plague hits

No concern over who are it's targets

One by one they are each afflicted

None of this has been...predicted?" Lloyd muttered to himself.

Alone, but comfortable in the freezers below thirty degree Celsius quarters he sits thinking of what poem best suits such a random act of hostile playing. He has yet to reach a suitable conclusion, but a dark, and creative soul always thinks, always plans, surely some form of inspiration will hit him.

_End of Chapter_

_A little shorter than my usual work, but I might be away from my laptop for a few days so I wanted to finish this before that happens, if it does. Going to go over the request, and reviews over my phone, but can't do much else. Thanks for the reviews, support, and most importantly, your patience._


	30. Chapter 30

Chapter 30: Welcomed, and Unwelcomed

Developing the characters of over twenty classes isn't easy, even tedious, but it does have it's moments.

Milky: I can just steal my character development, you know, I'm just that good.

Well I guess you can-hey wait! That's my character development you can't take that! Enjoy! Come back here!

Early Morning

Groggy, groaning, and with very little sleep in their system, the Disgaea Guild dragged their bodies over to the dining hall where they hope the vast, and most important meal of the day can give them the energy they need to start the day.

"Hey Walker, have I ever told how stupid your guild name is?" Nina groaned as she lazily slumped herself onto a seat.

"Hey Nina, have I ever told how much of a bitch you are sometimes?" Walker grunted back as he dragged his body, and practically forced it in a sitting position on his seat next to Nina.

"You bastard, I'll, kill you...*yawn~*" Nina groaned with very little effort as she attempted to punch Walker's teeth out, but only succeeded in rubbing his cheek slightly.

"Please you two, it's too early, can't it wait?" Milky groaned.

"Exactly what I was thinking, I barely had enough time to brush my hair, I've only been able to spare two hours" Kimberly murmured.

"Me~o~w~" Misha growled softly.

Translation: Even a follower of darkness, and the most vile of occults needs a moment of silence, still your mouths you minor flecks of existence

"Ah~ another glorious day to be alive on this beautiful day of sunshine!" Maple cried out.

"Ooah~ curse of morning person, hurt Peach Basket, ear, go ring, ring, loud" Peach Basket groaned.

"Move your hips in one two three, claps your hands...one, two...three...zzz~" Peachy weakly muttered as she succumbed to her exhaustion, and planted her head firmly on the table.

"I-If the government, and secret societies are this weak in the morning as well, then maybe there's an opening for an attack" Phoenix muttered as he attempted to act as if slumber was plaguing him, but it was a slowly losing battle.

"They're not like that..." Lance said.

"Perhaps you are right, but I have to take everything into account regardless" Lance said.

"This is much like basic training back at the castle grounds, they would deprive us of sleep, and have us jog while wearing our heavy armor, thus forcing us to push through with the little energy we had left. It was basically slow murder" Aegis remembered as he dragged his heavy body inside the dining hall.

"*Yawn~* Just five more teeny weeny minutes" Berry Melon moaned as she awake, surprisingly early this time by Megas.

"No can do little girl, we ain't got the energy ta wake you up this time, so we're not taking any chances" Megas said.

"Why are we being dragged to eat too then?" Noelle asked as she, and Isabelle were being carried on his other arm.

"I want to sleep cozy with my sister like we do every night~" Isabelle whined.

"I had enclosed myself in my studies before without having to slumber, this feeling is nothing new" Sophie said.

"I don't need to sleep since I am a ghost, aren't you curious as to how that's possible?" Limbo asked.

"Wrong department, I study demon anatomy, and genetics not the paranormal, I believe Peach Basket may provide better assistance" Sophie said.

"I know I'm responsible for this, but I was kinda hoping to catch some sleep myself" Alto said.

"...Sister are you feeling ill, you're face is red, and body swaying back, and forth in an unnatural pattern-zam!" Aldo asked.

"*Sigh~* yeah, she was really-I-I mean, w-what? I-I'm fine, really, just a little sleepy that's all um-nin-nin!" Kelly awkwardly answered.

"*Ahem* I have announced today that my recruitment efforts will be doubled over, I expect the rest of you to compensate for that" Schrodinger declared.

"It is a fool's errand, I shall do no such thing" Kimberly replied.

"You're the worst kind of help, like I'll ever even consider relying on you" Schrodinger retaliated.

"Hey guys, I found Lloyd in the freezer..." Aegis called out carrying Lloyd with his right hand. "Does anyone care?" Aegis called out, and again he was ignored.

"*Sigh~*" Lloyd sighed loudly.

"Just take a seat Lloyd while I prepare to bake" Aegis said.

"*Sniffle*" Lloyd held back the tears as best as he could, life is an empty, friendless void of walking bodies with no souls.

"Boy howdy I'm plum tuckered out, when's the food gonna get here?" Sasha asked.

"My word Sasha I don't believe there was a single part of your statement that wasn't a grammatical catastrophe" Kimberly noticed.

"T'ain't no problem with me, I always bargain up the best of what I sell" Sasha said.

Despite the grumpiness in everyone's tone from lack of sleep their conversations were still pleasant, and active, while some have dozed off, the majority still kept each other up with chit-chat of what to do on this brand new day.

"Hey doods! Breakfast is ready~!" Blank cried out.

"Not so loud Prinny" Walker groaned.

"I'm just doing my job dood, after a good night's sleep of course dood" Blank responded.

"Is that back talk I hear, because if it is, I will end you" Walker warned.

"*Gulp* I-I'll just go set breakfast now..." Blank stuttered.

"I have also finished a basket of pastries, bagels, and sweet bread to enjoy" Aegis reported

"Blank, did you get the mail by any chance?" Elfie asked.

"There weren't any dood, as far as I'm concern that means no work, so does that mean that I'm off the hook too dood?" Blank asked.

"I still have a mountain of chores for you to do Prinny" Walker said.

"Can he start by fixing the hole in my room's wall, and door...nin, nin?" Kelly asked while staring blankly at Nina.

"S-sorry, I don't know what came over me, honest" Nina half-apologized, and half snickered.

"Good start, gather all the supplies you need, and fix whatever damage was done to the building last night" Walker ordered.

"G-got it dood" Blank obeyed.

"Now that that's settled, bring in the food!" Walker exclaimed.

Breakfast consisted of sliced toast as long as a tree log with several cups of butter, and jam around it for easy access, several platters of eggs over easy, bowls containing small mountains of scrambled eggs. Several pitchers of assorted ice cold juices from apple to pineapple. Meat consisted of thickly chopped pork, bacon, several slices of steak, and beef, and a side of hash browns on everydemon's plate. Aegis also provided desert early, rather than waiting for them to finish the main course. Donuts of all kinds! Powdered sugar, frosted sugar, sprinkles, glazed, cream filling, chocolate filling, frosting, and much more. A feast suitable for semi-upper middle class kings.

"So if there's nothing to do today, can I go back to sleep?" Berry Melon asked.

"Not happening big sister, if the work ain't coming to us then we'll come to it" Walker assured.

"So we run rampart on the town~? Don't they hate us, or something~?" Limbo moaned.

"That better not be true, we don't need the bad business" Walker grunted.

"We'll just have to be better behaved then" Aegis figured.

Walker glanced towards the more louder side of the table, seeing Peach Basket. Berry Melon, Noelle, and Isabelle all roughhousing, playing, and devouring their food with reckless abandon.

"I know this is going to be next to impossible, and it may not happen, but I need everyone to get serious for just a moment so I can address something" Walker suddenly declared.

"You had my curiosity, but now you have my attention, please state your demand" Kimberly said.

Walker waited for a moment, eventually everyone grew silent, this caused Walker to be genuinely surprised.

"W-well then, alright, great! A-anyways we're getting up there now aren't we...reincarnating I mean, I'm pretty sure all of us are at a level where we can reincarnate into our next stage, we need to do so when the moment is right" Walker explained.

"An excellent idea, rather surprising of you to think ahead of such a thing, I am...impressed to say the least" Kimberly said.

"Why is it that all your compliments feel like insults?" Walker wondered.

"It's just my plethora of words, and class that make it such, you shouldn't think too deeply about it, it may cause you mental strain" Kimberly said giggling afterward.

"Aw yeah! Gonna be more than meets the eye!" Megas exclaimed.

"I'm sure it'll be a hoot, and a hoedown!" Sasha declared.

"Ooah! Gonna be like momma! Strong, strong curses! Curse strong!" Peach Basket said.

"How exciting, I wonder just how much further my etiquette can expand" Kimberly said.

"Too bad that's the only thing that will expand from you" Schrodinger mocked.

"You beast, charlatan, lewd creature! I'll have you out of my bodily discussion this instant, and have you remain out!" Kimberly shouted

"Leave her alone! She doesn't need huge melons to be noticed, she's awesome the way she is!" Milky defended

"I, appreciate the kind words Milky, I've never been told I'm...awesome" Kimberly thanked.

"Lance I've noticed you've taken quite an interest in that particular book, by any chance have you finished reading it before?" Sophie asked.

"...Several times..." Lance muttered an answer.

"Do you have trouble retaining information then? Is that perhaps why you continuously read it?" Sophie asked.

"...It's my favorite" Lance mumbled.

"I sure hope you're thankful for the tree's sacrifice then" Maple lightly scolded.

Lanced nodded slowly.

"If we are all listening to one another then there is a declaration that I which to make known here" Sophie stated.

"What are you up to?" Aegis wondered.

"I require specific classes skilled in a variety of weapons. I have already added gun, and bow statistics into my machine, but I see qualifications for fists, spear, and the axe. Primarily looking in your direction Aegis, and Nina" Sophie stated.

"Is this gonna hurt?" Nina asked.

"Only if it breaks in the middle of the process" Sophie assured.

"Well since we're not doing anything this day, I can see no reason why we can't assist you, do you agree?" Aegis asked.

"I-I guess not, but science, and techno stuff ain't really my thing, we slaughtered each other with sharp, and heavy objects just fine" Nina said.

"I'll be doing most of the labor, all you have to do is sit still. Now all that will require is a sword master, and everything will be set!" Sophie stated excitedly.

"Why don't you use Firefly? She's pretty good with a sword" Milky suggested.

"That is correct, pretty good, I need exemplary, something up to par with my high standards" Sophie said.

"I'm-I'm sorry!" Firefly quickly apologized.

"So when are we going to see this project of yours?" Walker asked.

"When I require a sword master of course, then perhaps in a day, or so afterward" Sophie said.

"You can try scrounging something up at the town, but I wouldn't get my hopes up thinking you'll find a sword master" Elfie assured.

"Hey! what about staff masters!" Berry Melon cried out.

"...Unnecessary" Sophie flatly stated.

"B-but we're useful too!" Berry Melon complained.

"We can swing our staffs just as good as any other demon" Noelle added.

"Put us in a machine too!" Isabelle joined.

"My project has no need for magic, this will be strictly scientific, I'll put you children in a machine some other time" Sophie promised.

"Yay~" Noelle, and Isabelle cheered.

"Hey, hey! That's not something to be celebrating!" Walker reminded.

"Celebrate! Okay! Got it!" Peachy suddenly shouted jumping on the table.

"Holy crap, when did she wake up! Wait-no, not on the table!" Walker shouted being seated next to her, but paying no heed.

"But the table is the highest point where everyone can see me dance!" Peachy complained.

"I'm not complaining" Schrodinger said.

"Get off from there, if you're that bored then go outside, and have some fun in town, there's nothing to do today" Walker scolded.

Suddenly they heard a knock coming from the front door.

"It's too late for the mailman..." Walker said.

"I think that's for us" Nina said.

"I'm still the receptionist, so I'll answer the door, if it's an assassination attempt I will be sure to make quick work of the assailant...nin-nin" Kelly assured.

"Remember to move to his back, there are more ways to kill a man from his back-zam!" Aldo reminded.

"Just answer the door normally" Walker groaned under his breath.

In a cloud of smoke produced by her smoke bombs Kelly vanished from the dining hall, the team waited anxiously for her return. Moments later the double doors of the dining hall opened revealing Kelly, and two guests behind her, a Red Skull, and a Star Mage crying profusely.

"There, finally found you, now hand over my half of our job!" The Red Skull demanded.

"Norman, you found this place, early too" Nina said.

"Well we were in a hurry after the whole...well we came to receive our cut of the reward" Norman said.

"What's wrong with your other half?" Aegis asked.

"She's, taking the rejection pretty hard" Norman declared.

"You broke up with her?" Megas declared.

"No! No I didn't! I would never-look it's a long story, can we have our HL now?" Norman said.

"Yeah, this is the guy we were talking about Walker, kind of need to give him his half too" Nina said.

"Not 'kinda', 'should'!" Norman corrected.

"Well Walker?" Nina said.

"Can't be helped, I'd be pissed off too if no one gave me my due, here, take it, I think this should be about what you were expecting" Walker grunted tossing a sack of HL towards Norman who caught it with no difficulty.

"W-well then, it is...comforting to know that some standards are held in the netherworld, now all that remains is to locate a place to stay for the time being" Norman said.

"What's wrong with your old place?" Nina asked.

Hearing this Norman's other half Julie cried even louder.

"Tactless, as usual I see" Norman insulted.

"What did I say!" Nina cried out.

"It doesn't concern you, for them moment the only thing I should be thinking of is a place for us to sleep, where is the nearest hotel?" Norman asked.

"You're standing in it" Walker declared.

"I don't understand" Norman said.

"*Sigh* you're standing in the only hotel in this entire town, but you can try your luck going someplace else" Walker said.

"So your guild has no guild quarters, but using a hotel as a place of operations?" Norman said.

"I own this hotel-no guild quarters-no both! It's been newly refurbished too, so I dare you to find someplace better looking than here! Walker shouted, his rage building.

"W-well if you're so passionate of your business, then I suppose staying here wouldn't be so bad" Norman figured.

Elfie threw a chunk of doughnut at Walker.

"W-what the-Elfie! Damn it Healer what the hell?" Walker exclaimed.

Elfie whimpered, putting on a begging face while pointing at Norman, and Julie.

"What's that Elfie? Timmy's stuck in a well?" Walker joked.

Elfie pouted, and threw another chunk of doughnut at Walker.

"Alright, alright geez! You two, introduce yourselves to her, now" Walker demanded.

"Why should we comply?" Norman said.

"Because...that's how you check in at this hotel" Walker said.

"G-guild quarters" Firefly corrected.

"Both!" Walker exclaimed.

"Norman, Red Skull...the Star Mage next to me is Julie, and yes we will be sharing the same room, that's not gonna be an issue will it?" Norman asked.

"No skin off my bones, while I was visiting the Skull who rebuilt this place he mentioned something about fixing the walls to be soundproof" Walker assured.

"Curious as to why he would do such a thing Walker?" Elfie asked with a smirk.

"I just thought he did it so we wouldn't annoy each other through the walls" Walker figured.

"You're too gullible, or innocent, I don't know which is cuter" Elfie said.

"I'm gonna shoot you one day Elfie, swear to the overlord I will" Walker grunted.

"Is that some sort of mating ritual for Gunners, or-" Elfie began.

"Don't test me Elfie!" Walker exclaimed

"*Ahem* if you two are done...acting childish, can we have the room, or not?" Norman asked.

"Yeah, sure, whatever!" Walker quickly said.

"Excellent, now then..." Norman said looking directly at the meal before him.

"Take what you want, find a table, and eat already, after that do whatever you want, I don't care" Walker instructed.

"Well, we are famished after our ordeals earlier, a healthy breakfast will be the most appealing strategy to the start of a new day" Norman said.

"Are you gonna talk about it, sometime in our lifetime?" Nina asked.

"Too soon, some of us...haven't gotten over it yet" Norman muttered.

A loud sob was heard from Julie.

"I'd recommend a cup of tea to calm your nerves. I have just acquired a fresh batch of Earl Grey, Lord Bergamot, and Peppermint, but I highly recommend Barhmin, it is an exquisite experience that works much more effectively during a breakfast meal" Kimberly said.

"I like it how she talks all fancy like that" Milky stated.

"I think I'll have pancakes" Norman said.

"Blank! Make some pancakes" Walker ordered.

"More guests dood? If you want me to do my jobs better get me some help already!" Blank exclaimed.

"I didn't hear a 'yes sir'" Walker called out.

"Yes sir, dood" Blank said.

"...Seriously it's right we need more prinnies here" Aegis said.

"Oh yeah, we were suppose to be doing that weren't we?" Walker said.

"We got kind of caught up doing other things though" Nina said.

"Fine, whoever isn't doing anything that isn't work will find a second Prinny" Walker instructed.

There were a few murmurs, and nods, but nothing that could convince Walker the job will be done.

"...First group get's payed double next payday" Walker sighed

"We can't let an issue like this stay any longer, my team shall be more than happy to clear you of this problem" Aegis suddenly declared.

"He's right, I will be more than honored if I took the role of Prinny hunter in the name of Disgaea Guild!" Nina said.

"Peach Basket want go! Curse Prinny to work! Ooah! Excited!" Peach Basket cried out.

"I'm afraid that this job is too much to bear for a couple of young ladies such as yourselves. I shall do the honor of being the man in the house, and bring a Prinny back" Schrodinger said.

"If anyone is going to bring anything back it's going to be us!" Noelle piped in

"Because our indestructible teamwork will get us lot's of cookies, and toys after this!" Isabelle piped in.

"Cookies, and toys! I want to join you too!" Berry Melon exclaimed.

"I can afford a studio worth of instruments with that kind of money...The dancing princess will not lose, now let's celebrate my future victory with a dance party!" Peachy cried out.

"I hate you guys, so much now..." Walker grumbled under his breath.

"Well in any case, breakfast was delicious as usual, my compliments to the chef" Elfie said.

"Aren't you usually the cook?" Walker asked.

"My point exactly!" Elfie stated.

"This breakfast is over, the two new guys, can finish up, I'm going for a walk" Walker said exiting the room.

"...I take it he's especially angry today?" Norman asked.

"That's not it, he's just happy we have new members, it's just his way of showing his love" Elfie said.

"I heard that Elfie! Shut the hell up already!" Walker shouted

"You too~!" Elfie called back.

A loud frustrated shout was heard followed by the slamming of the front door.

"Well, this is the part of the story where I follow my employer, anyone care to join me?" Elfie invited.

"Oh! Oh! I do, I do! Take me with you!" Berry Melon cried out.

"W-w-well I don't know..." Firefly stuttered.

"I'll take that as a yes, anyone else care to join us?" Elfie asked again.

"Oh! Oh! Like I'll go, and dance, and some junk, or other!" Peachy cried out.

"Excellent, let us be off, and demonstrate our capabilities to our employer" Elfie said.

"Why do you keep calling Walker 'employer'?" Nina asked.

"W-well, because the other honest title I have for him is...too embarrassing" Elfie shyly confessed.

"What do you mean-" Nina began.

"Oh, would you look at the time, come on people time's wasting!" Elfie quickly called out.

Peachy, Firefly, and Berry Melon followed Elfie out of the building, leaving the rest to ponder on what they should be doing with their lives.

"I suppose we have to do something with our lives then?" Aegis said.

"I was kind of hoping to just relax, but I get anxious when that happens...any plans?" Nina asked.

"Curse~" Peach Basket growled.

"Something we can all do?" Nina reiterated.

"We can exchange depressing poetry to each other, I can start" Lloyd mumbled.

"...Something productive?" Nina re-reiterated.

"*Sniff*" Lloyd began to cry.

"Let's just follow Walker's sage advice, and run rampant on the town, who knows what party we can crash!" Megas exclaimed.

"*Sigh* (why am I stuck with these people?)" Nina thought to herself.

"Let's do what Megas said, except not run rampant on the town" Aegis suggested.

"That's...something I can agree with" Nina agreed.

"Excellent, then let us not dally any longer, and set forth, while we're at it we can try to 'hire' a second Prinny" Aegis said.

With that, Aegis, Nina, Peach Basket, Lloyd, and Megas set off to do their own thing.

"I suppose there is no point in staying here, especially when tea time isn't set for another several hours" Kimberly said.

"Do you want to go, and do something fun then? You know w-with me?" Milky asked.

"I'd be delighted, but what activities have you planned for us today?" Kimberly asked.

"Well...I kind of don't have anything at the moment, kind of just thought something would just pop out?" Milky confessed

"You do realize that is not how reality works correct? But if there is nothing else worth doing here, then perhaps some window shopping can be achieved?" Kimberly said.

"Good idea! Hey Alto let's go!" Milky invited.

"W-what? No, I want to do as little as possible with anyone of for however long I'm staying" Alto said.

"Please?" Milky asked.

"No, I bet you just want me to carry the bags, which is a bad idea in of itself considering I'm a thief" Alto said.

"With no place to go then here" Kimberly added.

"...So you do want someone to carry the bags. Can't you get someone I don't know stronger, or something, like that guy" Alto said pointing at Schrodinger.

"A deplorable vermin such as he has no right to touch a lady's purchased goods" Kimberly stated flatly.

"Buy all the push-up bras you want washboard, it's not gonna help a bit" Schrodinger grunted.

"Shut your insolent mouth before I shut it for you!" Kimberly shrieked.

"Okay I think I see why" Alto said.

"I shall accompany you, for a quick favor from Kimberly of course" Sophie said.

"*Huff-puff*, a-and just what do you want from me?" Kimberly asked still retaining some of her previous anger.

"Just need you to stand perfectly still, and my scanner will do the rest, then we'll be off to the marketplace" Sophie assured.

"Anything is better than staying within earshot of that lewd creature!" Kimberly said.

"Oh! Oh! Can I come too? I never saw a 'scanner' before" Maple asked.

"I see no complications with that, you are invited as well" Sophie allowed.

With that Kimberly, Sophie, Milky, Alto, and Maple left the dining hall, and headed towards Sophie's quarters for a quick scan.

"While I dawdle away with food, who knows what the men behind the curtain are up to, now that I think about it, I haven't had much time to focus on them" Phoenix said.

"You keep bringing that topic up, but I have yet to gather any scroll, or intelligence to back up your claims-zam!" Aldo said.

"They hide their tracks fairly well, but their signs are everywhere if you look in the right direction" Phoenix stated.

"Interesting, a sort of hidden village, rivaling our own, don't you think so sister-zam?" Aldo asked.

"I haven't heard of it, I suppose it is pretty interesting, nin-nin" Kelly replies.

"W-well they're more like large camps, buildings, and underground labyrinths, but they're there, and who knows what else they have planned!" Phoenix said.

"Well...have any of their plans come to fruition-zam?" Aldo asked.

"W-well they have, they're just really unnoticeable" Phoenix said.

"Is the reason you're staying here because their headquarters is located here...nin-nin?" Kelly asked.

"N-no, the real reason is uh~ I kind of ran out of funds for my search...so I'm working here to replenish that. The life of a vigilante is a difficult one" Phoenix stated.

"This...needs further investigating, if you are going out, I shall accompany you to examine this further-zam!" Aldo declares.

"Very well you seem like you can hold your own in a fight, you can join me! Lance will you be joining us in this escapade?" Phoenix asked.

"...Sure..." Lance muttered behind his book.

"Sister, will you be joining us, your assistance would be appreciated-zam!" Aldo said.

"R-really? Okay I'll join, but only if we get to do some window shopping on the way since a lot of normal girls like to do that from what I've heard" Kelly responded.

"W-wait! I want to go with Kelly too!" Schrodinger suddenly called out.

"...Your reasons are surely to be detestable, but I'll hear you out regardless-zam!" Schrodinger allowed.

"Please, take pity on this lesser man to accompany a goddess of beauty such as yourself to your destination" Schrodinger buttered up.

"Hm~ my instincts are telling me to knife you in the back, but I really don't want to look all murderous, and junk too, plus I like this outfit, don't want it to get ruined with blood. Okay, you can come with us...nin-nin" Kelly allowed.

"Mercy that almost rivals your beauty, I am truly impressed" Schrodinger said. "(If you want something done right, you got to do it yourself sometimes, Walker, nothing personal, but I'll be taking some of your girls for my own)" Schrodinger thought.

Aldo gave Schrodinger a stern stare, Lance doing the same, but only briefly before turning back to his book.

"Lance will you accompany us?" Phoenix asked.

"...I suppose I can read, and walk at the same time by now...okay" Lance muttered before standing up.

With that Phoenix, Lance, Schrodinger, Aldo, and Kelly left the building leaving the room mostly vacant.

"Hey, hey! Isabelle I just had a fun idea!" Noelle cried out.

"Yeah, yeah! What is it Noelle!" Isabelle cried out.

"We should take these two out on the town, and show 'em around!" Noelle exclaimed.

"H-huh!" Norman stuttered nearly choking on a mouthful of pancakes.

"It'll be tons of fun, we promise!" Isabelle assured.

"T-that does sound like fun..." Julie muttered nibbling on her waffle.

"It would~ do~ you some go~od" Limbo echoed phasing through his chair, and table.

"Yeah, we got an image to keep after all!" Noelle said.

"Image?" Norman said.

"That's right, as Mages we have to be cheerful, and innocent, and playful, and childish, and stuff!" Isabelle poorly explained.

"Yeah, we can't let Julie turn to Lloyd, it'll look bad on all of us, so let's all play together!" Noelle said.

"Play~!" Noelle, and Isabelle cheered.

"Yeah...yeah, let's play! I don't want to be all sad! I love it here already, can we stay longer Normy!?" Julie said her sad state slowly reforming to that of a childlike cheerfulness.

"Normy~" Noelle, and Isabelle repeated.

"Damn it" Norman grumbled under his breath, but as he turned to Julie, seeing her smile at him for the first time in a while, he couldn't stay mad, he return her smile with a small grin, and stood up.

"Oh! You're coming with us?" Isabelle asked.

"Yeah, yeah I will, far be it from me to ruin everyone's fun by having them worry about why I'm just standing around alone here" Norman said.

"Yes, that is true, even if I were to stay here with you, it wouldn't do you any good since I'm not technically a body, rather a ghost" Limbo stated.

"Then let's go check out the town, paint the town red, or whatever it is people do in towns!" Noelle declared.

"I think one of those suggestions is a little wrong somehow" Norman said.

"Who care's let's go~ let's go!" Isabelle said.

"Alright! I'll be honest though I'm still a little hungry, I could go for something sweet" Julie said.

"You just ate a baker's dozen worth of donuts" Norman said.

Julie gave a soft giggle, music to Norman's ears.

"W-well I suppose if you're still hungry I should get you something on the way, any good shops?" Norman asked.

"Let's find out!" Isabelle cried out.

"Yes~ let's~" Limbo said.

With that Limbo, Noelle, Isabelle, Julie, and Norman left the building, wherever they wanted to go, they are certain they would find out.

"Hello~ doods?...Alone again...lonely~, I am so lonely~dood, I have nobody~ to call my ow~n, ~doo~d" Blank sang.

Walker, Elfie, Berry Melon, Peachy, and Firefly

"Well isn't that just great, I suppose you have something to do with this Elfie?" Walker asked noticing several pair of footsteps following him for some time.

"Well as a dutiful employee Healer to you, it is my responsibility to see to your health, physically, and mentally" Elfie explained.

"And we just wanted to tag along, and see her do it!" Berry Melon chimed in.

"I just wanted to provide background music to it all!" Peachy assured.

"I-I'm sorry for i-imposing" Firefly stammered.

"*Sigh* whatever, nothing I can do about it now, let's just see what we can find" Walker surrendered.

"Excellent, you're cooperation will be much more appreciative than your angry rambling" Elfie said.

"I'm...not gonna argue with you anymore, let's just go" Walker sighed.

"Really Walker, did I overstep my boundaries?" Elfie asked.

"No, in fact I still got a lot more in me, I just don't want to say something I'll regret, with Nina it's okay since she'll most likely do the same, and then we'll punch each other senseless, but I still don't know a damn thing about you. Don't want you to get upset with me, and leave because you're our only Healer, and look this isn't the time to talk about this, let's go look for some work" Walker said.

"Oh? Is it just because I'm the only healer? If I recall, Maple can heal as well" Elfie said.

"Hey! What are you implying? One of you three speak up, change the subject, something?" Walker said.

"I'm actually having fun just listening to you two! You should make this into a musical! It'll be like super crazy totally awesome!" Peachy exclaimed.

"I kind of have mixed feelings about this, it's giving me this cute confused face like this!" Berry Melon said, putting on a face of sheer confusion.

"W-w-what if I say something wrong, a-a-and something scary happens!" Firefly cried out

"Look we're at the town this discussion is over, let's see what we can find already" Walker said.

"I can wait" Elfie said.

"Don't play the mysterious girl card on me, it's not funny" Walker said.

Meanwhile

"So tell me girlfriend, how was he? Was he everything you imagined him to be?" Comet asked.

"*Sigh* no, I didn't get the chance, of course I'd pick the day everyone is wide awake, and roaming about" Venus pouted.

"Tough luck there, but you can't give up on the first runaround, you gotta go another-! Wait second, there he his!" Comet pointing at something through his window.

"Oh! You're right, b-but look at all of them! That one in the tight knight suit has bigger funbags than me! Then there's that blondie dancing around him, she's wearing even less than I am! It's just getting harder, and harder for me~!" Venus exclaimed.

"When it comes to snagging men, nothing is too challenging for you! You just gotta go in-" Comet began, muttering something soon after.

Suddenly Venus found herself hovering without the use of her wings.

"Take initiative-" Comet added as he opened his window. "And glomp him!" Comet exclaimed as he motion his arm forward which apparently caused Venus to be flung outward, and outside at rapid speed.

Comet turned away from the window, and waited, until he heard the audible sound of several shrieks, and groans of pain.

"Strike..." Comet muttered under his breath, followed by a soft fist pump.

You're Walker, and frankly you're not sure what the hell happened, you recall just walking casually when suddenly something...big struck you. It's dark, and you try to open your mouth, but it's being muffled by...something soft, and warm, actually you try to breath, but find your nose is also being covered by the same softness. As he begins gasping for breath he could hear the voices of his fellow guild members calling out to him

"Get off of my employer this instant!" Walker heard Elfie cry out.

"I think I broke something~" Firefly groaned.

"Quit hogging him!" He heard Berry Melon squeal.

"Walker I know this is gonna be really difficult for you, but could you be less of a pervert for a momet, and help us pull her off of you?" Elfie asked.

Walker mouths off a response, but was unable to process anything more than muffled noises.

"*Giggle* stop that tickles!" exclaimed the winged beauty on top of him.

After a brief struggle she was eventually pulled off allowing Walker to breathe.

"Ah~ damn it, what the hell was...that..." Walker groaned, but soon lost his voice upon seeing such a beauty being held down by Elfie, and Peachy.

"Now I understand your type can't control yourselves when facing a man, but that is no excuse to lunge yourself on my employer like that" Elfie scolded.

"W-who said I volunteered~" Venus replied.

"Like we're not gonna get suckered by whatever flirty tricks you got planned, oh yeah I am so cool!" Peachy said.

"I have no tricks, now could you two let go of me, this is a real turn off" Venus replied.

"Uh...bro, you gonna say something, or are you gonna drool some more?" Berry Melon asked tapping Walker's shoulder.

"H-huh! What, I'm...awake, yeah...what happened?" Walker muttered.

"...Well if you must know, and do try to keep your eyes focused on me when I'm explaining, this young girl flung herself at us, and-Walker look this way! I can't believe this, after the mood was working so well for us too" Elfie said muttering the last part.

"So...now the question is why...I, for some reason I'm not all that upset by this" Walker said.

"Ugh!" Elfie groaned loudly.

"(Okay, okay! Don't panic, so you couldn't indoctrinate him in his sleep like you were suppose to, but maybe this could work too, he seems interested already...okay! So just confess, don't be nervous you can do this!)" Venus muttered to herself.

"Like, hello~ Earth to succubus girl, like are you gonna talk to us, or something?" Peachy called out.

"! Right of course, how rude of me, I should introduce myself. I am the embodiment of sexy Venus!" Venus declared.

"Yes, I heard it all before. (Can't believe I was actually like you when I was younger)" Elfie said, and thought.

"So...Venus why are you here?" Walker asked.

"(Tell him, tell him right now!)" Venus loudly thought.

"She's daydreaming again" Peachy stated.

"I am not! Now then...you Gunner! What is your deal getting in the way of my flight zone!" Venus shouted.

"What!" Walker exclaimed.

"What!" Peachy, Elfie, Firefly, and Berry Melon exclaimed.

"What!" Comet exclaimed.

"(What!)" Venus thought loudly to herself.

"I, uh~ there's seems to be a mistake, I was-" Walker began.

"You were what? Daydreaming about what you were gonna do with your harem following you!" Venus shouted.

"...Okay, now, I'm pissed! Go die in a fire!" Walker said stomping away.

"(Well at least he's composed himself somewhat, takes a lot of willpower to insult a succubus without succumbing to their charm)" Elfie thought slightly impressed.

"W-wait I'm not done with you yet!" Venus shouted.

"I am" Walker simply said.

"I have something important to tell you!" Venus said.

"...*Sigh* every fiber of my being wants to leave you here, but...just this once I'll give you a second chance, what is it?" Walker said turning around to face Venus.

"(Tell him! Tell him your love for him bruns hotter than one thousand white hot suns!)" Venus shouted to her mind.

"Wow she's in outer space again!" Berry Melon pointed out.

"I was gonna say! That...you're a cruel, sick freak for wanting someone like me to die in a fire!" Venus exclaimed.

"(Stupid, stupid, stupid Venus!)" Venus scolded herself.

"Right, well this was a waste of time, let's go everyone" Walker said.

"Oh no you don't! I'm coming too!" Venus shouted.

"Oh for evil's sake, haven't you said enough?" Elfie asked.

"No! Not until h-he apologizes to me!" Venus declared.

"Are you kidding me! You're the one completely at fault here!" Walker exclaimed.

"T-that doesn't matter, you insulted me so you gotta apologize!" Venus said.

"You're not gonna let this die, and rot as it should are you?" Walker asked.

"N-no, I won't" Venus said.

"Stubborn...but not entirely a bad thing so long as you make yourself useful. Fine, though you'll never get me to apologize for something that's not my fault" Walker said.

"(This is the absolute worse, everything is going exactly the opposite of what I planned!)" Venus thought to herself.

"Eh~ why does she space out like that?" Berry Melon said.

"Don't know, but perhaps we should leave" Elfie said.

"Agreed, let's just leave her" Walker said.

"Well that's not very fun, but okay!" Berry Melon exclaime

"She should be careful, if she daydreams like this all the time she could get in an accident, or something, and that would be scary" Firefly said.

"We're walking away now!" Walker called out.

"(Okay, I gotta stop insulting, and start putting on the charm-wait what did he say?)" Venus thought, and saw the group already several feet away from her.

"H-hey you blabbering wind bag, don't ditch me!" Venus shouted.

Exploring the town, and asking around the group found nothing, though if they drew attention before it certainly escalated to an all time high. Peachy, and Venus combine cheering, and advertising has brought the attention of most of the town, as well as the traveling merchants stopping by to sell their inventory. During the afternoon however something else seems to have caused the town to uproar all over again...

"I can't believe after all the effort no one has any use for a guild" Walker cried out loud while the group hung around a few benches near the succubus fountain.

"Like that's not true at all, me, and Venus got a ton of job offers" Peachy stated.

"Yeah, none of them appropriate for a high quality guild quarters, which if you recall is what I'm trying to achieve" Walker said.

"This is very vexing, but tomorrow is another day you know" Elfie calmly replied.

"Yeah...yeah, you have a point" Walker sighed to himself.

"I guess we can add quitter to the list of things you are" Venus said.

"I'm gonna!...Forget it, let's just-" Walker was about to say.

"Bro! Hey Brother check it out! Firefly found something!" Berry Melon cried out, rushing towards them with a poster, and several bags of candy. Firefly following close behind.

"I'm not in the mood for sweet stuff" Walker grunted.

"No, this is mine! Mine, mine! I mean this!" Berry Melon exclaimed giving Walker the poster.

The poster depicts several multicolored heroes posing behind a large fiery explosion with bold letter issuing a challenge.

"The yearly Cosmic Heroes Heroic Labyrinth of Courage, and Honor will begin this week! To enter show this poster to your local dimensional gate keeper, and they will take you to your destination. Oh, and the date, and time are on the page too" Walker read, and explained.

"Wow, something like this is very rare" Elfie commented.

"Only the most strongest of men will attend...ah~ I'm getting excited just thinking about it" Venus said.

"And the largest of rewards, something like this can give us our own personal Rosenqueen shop, and maybe even a dimensional gate keeper!" Walker exclaimed.

"Or it could get us all killed!" Firefly paniced.

"It says here they will pay for all revives, and heals via a personal medical station. Fear of death is nonexistent" Walker explained.

"Well I suppose if there's no trouble..." Elfie muttered.

"We have nothing to lose, and everything to gain from this...all in favor?" Walker asked.

"I will follow my employer to the ends of the Netherworld" Elfie said.

"You still owe me an apology! I'm gonna stalk you until you see the errors of your stupid ways! (Oh, the healer thinks she can move in on my property? It's on now bitch)" Venus said, and thought.

"Wee~ sounds like fun, I'm gonna be able to eat even more candy than normal!" Berry Melon cried out.

"With so many demons in once place, I can get like so notice, and become like a celebrity overnight! Yeah hanging out with you guys was an awesome idea!" Peachy said.

"I-I-I don't k-k-know, but I d-d-do know this c-could help...o-okay, if you'll have me, then I'll...do my best" Firefly stuttered nervously.

"Then it's a deal, but let's not tell anyone about this, I don't want them screwing everything up, we can win this on our own" Walker assured.

Meanwhile

"So it says we won't have to worry about dying, and first prize would be more than worth it" Nina explained in another part of town.

"Yes, it makes perfect sense to throw our lives away at this. Just so you know I'm not being sarcastic" Aegis said.

"Ooah! Many demons, gonna curse all! Meet more like Peach Basket, curse as group! Eat meat! Gonna poke, fun, eat, curse!" Peach Basket ranted.

"Looks like the little ones already pump up! Let's shut up, and do it already, yeah!" Megas exclaimed.

"I don't have a death wish...but I don't want to be the only one not doing this either, I hate being alone" Lloyd muttered.

"So it's agreed, we're all doing it" Nina said.

"It appears that way" Aegis said.

"Let's keep this between us though, we can surprise Walker with the prize money we're gonna win after this" Nina said.

"Can't wait to see the look on his face when we come back with all that HL!" Megas exclaimed.

Elsewhere

"Whoa~ I'm still not use to all those weird lights, and cold gray things" Maple said.

"It's a standard reaction to experiencing science" Sophie stated.

"Well it was quite the little adventure, but I also wish to discuss this poster that interrupted our outdoor tea session" Kimberly said.

"Right that labyrinth challenge...well I'm already going to go for it. Just seems natural for a thief like me to steal treasure from a dungeon like this" Milky said.

"Going with uh~ Milky on this one, this chance I cannot pass up" Alto said.

"Hm~ with a promising reward one could procure rare tea leaves" Kimberly said.

"Or plutonium, uranium, and other hard to get compounds" Sophie said.

"Well it is decided then. You shall have the pleasure of escorting me to this challenge" Kimberly said.

"I shall also be joining this expedition of yours, perhaps there I can coax a swordmaster to join with my scanner as well" Sophie said.

"I would like to join too as a good companion. As all plants are" Maple said.

"So long as you don't slow us down I see no problem with it, but let's keep it on the down low. No reason for Walker to find out about this, that way we can share most of the loot, and have what we all want" Milky said.

"What devilishly evil plan you have, but I must admit I do rather enjoy it. In fact I am even getting excited over it. Better drink more tea to calm my nerves" Kimberly said.

Somewhere

"So we have been issued a challenge" Phoenix said.

"I don't suppose it just happen to have just been blown on your face by some rouge wind perhaps...nin-nin?" Kelly assumed.

"Nonsense! There is a reason for everything, and a challenge from the men behind the curtain is that very reason" Phoenix said.

"You forget sister, that there are many ninja arts that utilize the power of the wind, this may not have been just random coincidence-zam!" Aldo said.

"Well do you think these...cosmic heroes, or whatever have any connection with who you're chasing after Phoenix, nin-nin?" Kelly asked.

"My dear Kelly don't tell me you're actually falling for his so called men behind the curtain rambles" Schrodinger said.

"...It's interesting enough, no reason to stop him" Lance muttered from under his book.

"Ignoring the last two statements, no I don't believe so, but perhaps this message isn't a declaration, but more of a warning. Warning that if we do not grow stronger we will succumb to those that pull the strings. We must accept this challenge, and pass with flying colors!" Phoenix declared.

"We will brief Walker on this immediately" Aldo said.

"Not so fast! That's something that they would want us to do, no we must be discreet about this. We will not inform Walker, we'll be in, and out before he even notices we're gone. We'll all take a sick day that's all" Phoenix said.

"Okay, we get it, can I go shopping now, nin-nin?" Kelly said.

"D-don't you think you bought enough?" Schrodinger asked.

"You're the one who volunteered to carry my bags. What's a few more? Nin-nin" Kelly said.

This way

The young Mages were om-nomming on a large buffet of snacks courtesy of Walker's tab, while Norman, and Limbo stayed behind to watch, among other things.

"You know...this poster intrigues me" Norman said.

"It is very~ colorful" Limbo moaned.

"Regardless-hang on a second-don't use your hands Julie! Forks over there!...Like I was saying it appears as if these posters have drawn a lot of attention. No doubt for the reward" Norman said.

"What do you make of it?" Limbo asked.

"This could solve all my problems, I can give Julie what she always wants...with my masterful planning, and our powerful magic of the combined five of us victory is within our grasp" Norman said.

It appears so, at the very least we can repay Walker for all the food those three have eaten" Limbo said.

"Yes, that too. Girls come over here for a moment we have a new game we'll be playing soon!" Norman called out.

"Yay~!" Noelle, Isabelle, and Julie shouted in celebration.

"One more thing, Walker cannot know about this, he'll more than likely take half the share, I need most of it, I'll repay him later" Norman said.

"Well dead people tell no tales, and since I'm a ghost I suppose that counts too" Limbo said.

"Yes well in any case..." Norman began.

"I'm going to win this!" Walker, Nina, Phoenix, Milky, and Norman all declared simultaneously.

_End of Chapter_

_Sorry for the wait, some last minute paper work including paying for a car. Anyways it's gonna be a slow year, but I promise I'll be doing my best dumping these chapters. Anyways I'm going to go ahead, and accept all the challenges I've been given, I'm sure I can fit them in somewhere. Thanks again for your reviews, support, and especially your patience._


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